Path of the Damned: Book 1-The Lost
by Son of Malice
Summary: A story of an average man drawn into the web of Chaos and becoming a heretic to the Imperium. Godwin unwittingly stumbles across a chaos cult and finds himself fighting for his life, his family, and for the Dark Gods
1. Chapter 1

Why do I fight? Every world I end up on I hear that question from men and women like you. You've spent your whole lives in ignorance of the harsh truths of the galaxy and cannot understand why anyone would willingly damn themselves to a life of flight, war, and service to the Powers. I understand that. I was one of you once long ago, born into a life of mindless toil and simply another cog in the massive machinery of the Imperium. I wanted nothing more than to tend to my work and raise my children. That was not meant to be. By accident I saw the truth hidden within the lies of the Imperium, I looked behind the veil of fear and superstition and saw it, the TRUTH. Once I did I tried to run from it, tried to pretend it didn't exist but it was too late. I was already walking the Path of Damnation simply by knowing what the Corpse-Emperor's slavemasters had tried so hard to hide. Why do I fight? Oh, you'll hear that story in time but perhaps there's a better question you should ask yourselves. Why will you?

_Three things cannot long remain hidden. The Sun, the Moon and the Truth_

_~Buddhist Proverb_

_The power of Chaos lies not in its ethereal might nor even in its legions of transhuman champions. No, its power is far more subtle than that. Its power is its freedom, and what a temptation that is for a weak man_

_~Inquisitor Lord Toqueaz _

_We will win the universe not with bolter or chainsword, not with virus bomb or treachery, not with Primarchs or Daemons. We will win this universe with the greatest weapon of all: The Truth_

_Primarch Lorgar Aurelian of the Word Bearers_

I

"But father you promised!" The child's voice was shrill, tinged with both sorrow and petulance, the perfect combination to melt a parent's heart.

"I know Tildda, I know. I'm sorry but we can't afford it right now. Maybe in a few days when I am paid." Godwin took his daughter's small hands in his as he knelt down to speak to her face to face. People passed by the two, most barely even sparing a glance. The merchant sections of the city were always busy and no one had time to even berate such a peasant. He and his daughter were beneath both notice and even the consideration of a tongue lashing.

Tildda looked intently at her father with a scowl of disbelief on her flushed cheeks. "That's what you said last time and the time before that. PLEASE Father? It's only seven thrones!"

"I only have five and that has to last us for several days." Tildda thought about that for a second.

"Don't we have enough food to last that long?"

"Of course but if something comes up we might need what little cash we have. Look I promise you doubly now, that if you are patient and wait a little longer that when I receive my wages I will pick it up for you on the way home." His daughter was still not convinced but Godwin could see she was softening to his arguments.

"You promise? Will you swear?"

"Of course, how else could you trust me after I let you down this time?"

"Swear it then!" He chuckled at her seriousness but did as tradition demanded and clenched his right fist to his chest just over his heart.

"I,Godwin Senlis, swear to your terms by the honor of my family, the void above, and the Eternal Emperor on his Golden Throne. I bind myself to this task until such time as I fulfill my vow or my lady release me."

Tildda nodded solemnly and finished the formula.

"May you do this or be counted as one of the Lost."

"So I swear." Finished with this sacred pledge Tildda smiled for the first time and began to pull him up and out of the street towards the shop that held the subject of the oath.

"Can I see it before we go home?" Godwin stood and ruffled her hair looking over at the old shop with the strange blacked out windows.

"Again? Well...I suppose so Til. We have a few minutes before we have to catch the undertram." Smiling he took her hand and led her through the crowd towards the pretentiously named Lorevault of Anaxium.

For a building without any natural light the Lorevault was curiously comfortable. Candles provided a dim but constant radiance and comfortable well-stuffed chairs were positioned before roaring fires. In contrast to the outdoor's chill it was just warm enough to heat a cold man up and yet not swelteringly hot. Carpets lined the floors, each embroidered with scenes from the mythic Crusade that the Emperor had led to reclaim all of humanity's lost civilizations who had scattered throughout the stars. The decor was in keeping with the hundreds of shelves stacked to breaking point with countless thousands of books. Some were religious tracts penned by a wide variety of Imperial theologians, some were the ancient history of Jute, and still others were stories of the endless wars mankind fought against a cavalcade of sinister alien races, from brutish Ork to duplicitous Eldar.

"Can I help you good sir?" A voice piped up from behind a wall of books stacked upon a table near one of the several fireplaces. An elderly man peered over his self-constructed rampart of knowledge and he blinked at the newcomers owlishly. Lines of ages crisscrossed his balding head and as he recognized the two customers his mouth broke into a wide smile showing several missing teeth.

"Why lady Tildda! Here again? To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I've come to look at it again An, would that be alright?" Anaxium positively beemed at the young girl and gestured her towards the back of the store.

"But of course little one, what a poor steward of knowledge I would be if I didn't share it. Go on now child, I daresay you know the way by now."

Tildda dipped a quick curtsy and scampered off through the maze of scrolls, pamphlets and towering bookcases. Godwin and Anaxium watched her go, one with a father's pride, the other with a teacher's affection. Anaxium chuckled and turned to regard Godwin as Tildda disappeared.

"That girl, I've rarely seen such an enthusiastic scholar. And at such a young age! She will enter the Schola Prima for sure."

"Emperor willing and finances allowing. She'd be the first in my family to. I dropped out of the Schola Tertia when my father died. Only remember a few of my lessons but I did well enough to teach her to read and write before her fourth year. Now I can't get her to stop." The old Lorekeeper nodded sagely.

"I remember when my son was of that age. He never was very studious but he was just as energetic! A fight a week, sometimes two, and against boys nearly twice his age. If I hadn't raised him myself I wouldn't have believed him to be filially related to me."

"You have a son? I never knew that. Does he live in the capitol or one of the other outlying towns?"

"No. He was taken from me when he was ten for the trial. He never came back. They tell me he died on the last test trying to shield one of his fellows." His voice remained pleasant and his smile remained but Godwin could hear the sadness behind the words.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know." Embarrassed he looked around for something to shift the conversation to a less sombre topic and failing. Anaxium nodded absently, his eyes distant and unfocused. With a visible effort he looked back at Godwin and smiled again.

"Thank you. It was a long time ago. In any case what news from the manufactoriums?" Taking the hint Godwin happily began to recount what news he had.

"More problems with unrest due to some kind of plague. The Arbites are still trying to discover the source. My sector has been quiet thankfully though several of my friends are in the affected areas. They say that it's all very mysterious. Machinery rusted as if left unattended. Growing illness amongst the workers. Even the food stores there seem affected." Anaxium cocked his head and looked intrigued.

"Plague? At this time of year? Very strange. Then again strange things seem to be happening quite a bit of late. Did you hear about the incident in Lieth? A man, I think he was a butcher, went mad. He murdered several of his customers and the Arbites had to shoot him dead. Funny thing was that from what I heard he was sick too, all bloated and with horrible poxes upon him. Hopefully the two illnesses are not connected." Godwin nodded and was about to continue the conversation when Tildda wandered back to him, her prize held tightly in her small hands.

The book she held was one of the many works of history that filled the Lorevault but with a difference. Unlike some of the more dry and academic tomes this one was emblazoned lovingly with pages of gilt illuminations of the Emperor, his crusade, and his great warriors. Ever since Tildda had seen it weeks ago she had been entranced. The price of seven throne gelt was expensive though and Godwin hadn't been able to purchase it for her at the time. So the two of them visited every few days and she would pour over its beautiful pages.

"Sir?" She looked up at Anaxium who had moved out from behind his massive pile of books.

"Yes lady?"

"Is the price for this book still seven thrones? The price has been scratched out since the last time I was here." Anaxium glanced at Godwin quickly and caught his discomfort at not being able to easily afford the book.

"That is what I was asking for it a few days ago but perhaps I could work a deal for you both if your father is willing." Tildda looked over at her father as well, her eyes speaking silent volumes.

"What are your terms sir?" No harm in at least hearing the Lorekeeper out.

"I will give you the book now. I need someone to run an errand for me to the capitol. I can pay for the journey and some food but it might occupy a rest day. Would this be acceptable?"

It was more than acceptable, it was almost a gift. The book was certainly worth more than the price of a simple errand and with him paying for the trip to the capitol it would be the expensive book for what amounted to a holiday trip. It was a kind offer and Godwin suspected that thoughts of Anaxium's son had prompted it.

"I accept your offer sir, I would be happy to do as you ask." Both men shook hands solemnly and Anaxium fished out a writ for passage on the main tram and a voucher for a meal at an inn along the way. Tildda almost fell over with all her curtsying and trying to carry the oversized tome. As they headed towards the door Godwin and Anaxium discussed the best time for him to stop by and pick up the package he was to deliver.

"I am putting together the order tomorrow so the day after perhaps? If I am not mistaken that is a feast day."

"It is, I will be free for two full days." Godwin looked to see that Tildda wasn't listening. "Thank you very much Anaxium, this is really too kind of you." The old man waved away the thanks with a smile.

"Think nothing of it. If anything you are doing me a favor, I would have had to go myself otherwise and I am not as durable as I once was. Besides, how could I deny such an avid learner? Take care Godwin and I will see you the day after tomorrow. Emperor keep you both."

"Emperor keep you as well and my thanks again."

The journey on the tram was an uneventful one. No malfunctions or delays that sometimes cropped up. All through it Tildda held the large book to her chest as if afraid it would wiggle away from her if she gave it a moment's chance. The tram itself was less crowded than Godwin had expected. Normally the trip back to the depths of the City Below was a jam packed affair with workers returning, nobles out on a lark, Arbites and Administerium clarks out on assignment, even the occasional soldier from the Jutian Imperial Guard on leave. Tonight only a few laborers and a bored looking aristocrat were to be seen.

After about half an hour the tram shuddered to a halt at its final point and, grasping Tildda's free hand, Godwin disembarked to begin the short walk to his small home. As he walked the light from the noble houses above streamed down like the myriad of stars in the actual sky. The City Below was beneath the surface of Jute, carved out by the diligence and cunning of the Adeptus Mechanicus. The rich and powerful lived in the City Above in the many keeps and manors that now cast a pale radiance down upon the lower tier. Parts of the surface had been removed so that the rain and, more importantly, air could still find its way down to the lower classes. The sky was obscured though by the spires of ancestral castles, the drab grey buildings of the Administerium, soaring golden temples to the God-Emperor, and, just visible from a few locations in the City Below, the massive dark iron tower keep in the center of the Sable Falcons' fortress-monastery.

To live on a world that was the chosen homeworld of a chapter of the Adeptus Astartes was a high honor indeed. The chapter recruited its new initiates from Jute and had done so since a time so remote that it was spoken of in whispers, The Second Founding. Whatever that might mean only the Lorekeepers and the Falcons themselves knew for sure. The sight of the blackened metal spire standing tall above the city usually inspired a sense of awe in Godwin, reverence even. Today though he was reminded of Anaxium's son and the sorrow the old man had shown at his loss. To even be selected for the trial was an honor and surely the Emperor would look with favor on the poor boy's soul in the afterlife but he was profoundly glad his daughter would never be picked and that his son was too old to be considered.

His son had already followed him into the manufactorum and they even worked on the same factory was a simple life but one that all the males in his family line had known for generations. His daughter was different however. She had always been bright for her age and Godwin was determined that no matter the cost she would was going to enroll in the prestigious Schola Prima. Between his own small savings and his son's contributions she would be given up to the Schola in another year. Unconsciously he squeezed his daughter's small hand at the thought. The cost of the Schola was in more than just throne gelt. While the common students in the lesser schools were free to live with their families the Schola Prima was a boarding school that started at age seven. Still the benefit for Tildda outweighed his sentiment. With luck she would impress the instructors and be given a good position within the Administerium.

Skirting through the cobblestone streets and around the many vendor's carts of the market road the two weary travellers at last made it back to their home. The house was a reassuringly solid sight at the end of the side street.. Built of stone it was three stories tall and had been passed down through Godwin's family for generations. It was a symbol of his forebears' hard work and relative importance since the vast majority of people either lived in dingy one story homes or else rented rooms from one of the massive hab-blocks that the Adeptus had built long ago. In truth Godwin's family only lived in the top floor and he'd long since rented out the bottom floors, save for a few rooms, to two other families. One was a cousin on his uncle's side and the other belonged to a minor scribe for the Administerium and his family.

As he entered he could hear his cousin Eldwaith's voice along with his wife Cathris' as they argued. The volume was impressive and it sounded like Eldwaith was getting the worst of it. Tildda winced at the noise.

"They are always fighting father. Is that why you put them on the bottom floor?" Godwin smiled and put a finger to his lips as they headed for the stairs.

"Yes, but for Throne's sake don't tell them that Til."

The two passed by the quiet second floor, the scribes family was clearly trying to sleep though how they managed such a feat with the warfare going on below them was beyond Godwin's understanding. Waiting for them on the third floor in their common area was a woman of medium height and ice blond hair cut short to prevent it from getting caught into the machinery that she worked with every day. She looked up from her work as Godwin and Tildda entered. On the table in front of her was a mess of wires and metal. Quickly she wiped her oily hands off and jumped up to hug her Tildda.

"I was beginning to worry about you two. I'd thought you would have been back an hour ago." Tildda somehow managed to keep hold of her book and return the embrace.

"We stopped to see An again, look what father got for me!" She brandished the book with pride. Her mother looked at it then shot a quick glance up at Godwin.

"We made a deal for it. The book in return for doing an errand for him in a few days." Godwin answered the unspoken question quickly. "It didn't cost us a single throne Ealhwyn." Relief showed briefly on his wife's face before her attention was diverted by Tildda trying to show her some of the beautiful illustrations.

"Father? Is that you?" Sigread's voice came from in the home's kitchen where the young man was preparing the family's meal.

"Aye Sig, we've just arrived."

"Just in time too, if you were any later we'd have started without you."

"Good thing you didn't. I'd hate to have to embarrass you in front of your mother with the arsekicking I would have given you." At the joke Sigread's head popped around the corner of the kitchen to glare angrily at his grinning father. His hair, like both his parents, was short cut but where Ealhwyn's was almost platinum blonde and Godwin's was a dark brown he had inherited his grandfather's dark red hair and pale skin.

"An old man like you? Best me? Have you been working too close to the chemical tanks again?"

"BOYS." Ealhwyn interrupted with feigned weariness. "Dinner first, posturing later." The two men shared a mischievous smile and Sigread ducked back into the kitchen to finish the meal. Godwin began to prepare the table, carefully putting the strange device that Eahlwyn had been working on away in her work cabinet where half a hundred such strange contraptions were housed.

It always made him smile to see his talented wife's various projects. She was a lower level member of the powerful Adeptus Mechanicus who he had met while working in the Manufactorium. She had been the tech-adept assigned to the area he supervised and, for him at least, it was love at first sight. Granted, that sight had been her emerging from the depths of one of the massive machines that shaped the molten metal into a variety of weapons. She was spattered with oil and grease and skin shining with sweat. Without looking up to see him she pulled herself out of the maintenance hatch, grabbed a hammer from her tool belt, and raised it.

"Stop! What are you doing?" Godwin yelled. Startled she looked up finally and frowned at him.

"My job..." And before he could say another word she brought the hammer down on the machine with a massive clang. Immediately it started up again. Smiling she whispered something to the now perfectly functioning press, gave it a pat, and then crossed her arms and fixed Godwin with a glare that both intimidated him and made his pulse quicken.

"I'm Ealhwyn, Adept of the Third Order, newly transferred here to maintain the children of the Omnissiah. Are we going to have a problem?" Godwin could only swallow slowly and shake his head while trying desperately not to burst into laughter.

"No my lady, I don't think we will. My apologies for interrupting you. My name is Godwin, I'm the floor supervisor here." She raised her eyebrow at that and a sheepish grin crept onto her face.

"I suppose I should have informed you earlier of my presence shouldn't I? Shall we call a truce then?"

"Truce." The two shook had shook hands and ended up spending the rest of the day working together. And the day after. And the day after that too. Eventually they had started to meet before and after work, spending time together during rest days, as friendship matured slowly into affection and, in time, into love. That had been almost two decades ago, years filled with equal parts happiness and hard work. As a result of her marriage to Godwin and outright refusal to follow the path of the many senior adepts of the Martian Priesthood by replacing more and more of her body with cold machinery Ealhwyn had been denied any chance of advancement within the secretive Adeptus Mechanicus. It was a heavy price for her to pay but she'd made her choice and never looked back for a moment.

This pseudo-excommunication had an unintended side effect though. Freed from the stifling dictates of the Cult of the Machine God Ealhwyn was able to tinker and experiment without fear of sanction. In her spare time she would create everything from practical items to strange contraptions that Godwin, despite her attempts to explain their workings, found a complete mystery. He cleared a space for her new device before setting it down carefully, her work had been known to break quite easily sometimes, and then rejoining his family as they sat down to their delayed dinner.

The meal was excellent though simple. Sigread had long ago taken over cooking after having to suffer through his mother's overly complex attempts or his father's downright horrible efforts. Tonight's menu was a stew made from fresh vegetables and some kind of meat and, to mop it up, freshly baked dark brown bread.

"So what is new with old Anaxium?" Sigread asked as he languidly stirred his stew to cool it. "I haven't seen him in months."

"He seems well enough though he's worried about the plague." Godwin took a sip of his ale.

"'E 'old me tha' the Gov'ner's so 'orried tha' 'e's asked fo 'elp from the 'ower." Tildda, clearly feeling that swallowing was optional in the face of such important information, nearly choked on her food trying to speak.

"Til, chew your food please. Emperor above! What are you in such a rush for?" Ealhwyn's remark fell on deaf ears as Til quickly gulped down a drink of water and continued.

"He said that the Sable Falcons are sending out some of their apothecaries to help in the most affected cities. Do the Astartes really never get sick?"

"It wouldn't surprise me Til but is he sure about that? I hadn't heard anything. What about you, Godwin?" Ealhwyn looked concerned and Godwin didn't blame her. To send out Space Marines to deal with a plague was unheard of.

"All I know is that it's on the other end of the world from us thankfully. If the Falcons are involved I am sure they will sort the whole thing out quickly." That seemed to satisfy Ealhwyn at least.

"May I be excused father? Mother?" Tildda had finished her meal in record time and was already gathering her dishes together.

"What are you in such a hurry for Til?"

"I want to look through my new book, would that be ok?" The two parents shared an amused glance.

"Yes Til, that will be fine." Ealhwyn rose and took the dishes from her daughter's hands. "If you wait just a little I am sure your father would be happy to read some of it to you though." The little girl's face lit up and she immediately set about clearing up the table.

"Hey! Some of us are still eating here!" Sigread protested as he was forced to lift his bowl and cup away from his sister's frantic activity.

"If you didn't spend half the time admiring your work instead of eating you'd have finished already Sig." Godwin couldn't resist the dig and Sigread played along.

"In a life of labor and toil who are you to mock an artist?"

"The one who does most of the laboring and toiling, lad. Come on, shift yourself. We all need to get some rest, it's getting late." Feigning a sigh of deepest weariness Sigread quickly finished his meal and added his efforts to the clean up.

"Which story would you like me to read Til?" Leafing through the book Godwin was struck again by the beauty of the thing. It was filled with illuminations etched in various metallics and with an incredible variety of inks. Some of the pictures could have been works of art in their own right. An image of the Primarch Roboute Guilliman standing resplendent in deep blue power armor on a lush world within the Ultramar system. Another of Holy Terra and the immense Imperial Palace just as the sun rose on the Age of Man.

Still another was of the Emperor himself, in all his golden glory, surrounded by eighteen kneeling forms. Each one of these beings was drawn in great detail and each could not be more different. One was Sanguinus, the Blood Angel, his white wings and flowing blonde hair framing his beautiful gold armor. Another was the rough and wild Leman Russ, Wolf Lord, with his hair in warrior braids and his great runesword held tip to the ground in token of submission. There too was Guilliman, his eyes bright and expressive and Rogal Dorn, rigid and unbending. The Khan and Corax were side by side, their armor mirroring each others. The Khan's was polished alabaster white, festooned with many trinkets from his hunts, while Corax's was so black that he appeared clothed in shadows. The Lion was shown with his helm before him on the ground and his naked blade held out towards the Emperor as if offering a gift. Black skinned Vulkan knelt beside his brother Ferrus Manus whose silver arms seemed to radiate rather than reflect light.

Yet while all of these were known to Godwin the other nine were mysteries. In stature they were similar though their visages were different. One was massive, dwarfing even the Emperor in size, with both red skin and fiery red hair. This giant had only a single eye, the space where there should have been another was smooth, and the artist had created an interesting illusion. No matter how you looked at the eye it was impossible to tell what color it was as it constantly shifted in the light. Next to him knelt a figure that unconsciously made Godwin's blood run cold. Its skin was corpse grey and its eyes solid black. Lightning seemed to crackle across its midnight armor and a smirk that was out of place in such an honored gathering was just visible. Quickly looking away from that image Godwin's eye scanned several others, one tall and gaunt bearing a scythe like death itself, another with a massive mace and fanatical intensity in his eyes. A brutish gladiator with twin chain axes contrasted with a flawless warrior who, even while kneeling, radiated arrogance. The only helmed member of the company in scaled green and blue armor knelt next to a column that cast an exact reflection of him. Next to him a huge demigod in machined steel stared not at the Emperor but at Rogal Dorn with a mixture of controlled anger and calculation.

The last figure was the most interesting. He too was kneeling but only just for he was caught in the transition between kneeling and standing. it was impossible to tell if he was about to follow the example of his fellows and abase himself before the Master of Mankind or rise to greet him as an equal. His white armor was partially cast in shadow rendering the portion facing the Emperor bright and radiant and his side and back blacker than even Corax's armor. Looking closely Godwin could just see an emblem on this magnificent beings chest. A red eye, slitted like a cat's, seemed to stare directly at him.

"Father?" It took a moment before he realized that his daughter was speaking to him and apparently had been waiting for him to start reading.

"Sorry Til. Which one did you say you wanted to hear?"

"This is the one father. The Ullanor Crusade and Triumph."

"Of course." He started to read. The story detailed the threat of the Ork hordes in the Ullanor sector and how the Emperor, beloved by all, had led his magnificent sons into battle personally for the last time. Millions of Imperial Army troopers fought with the greenskins while the god-machines of the Imperium, the mighty Titans, dueled with ramshackle Gargants and Stompas. The Emperor himself stood at the front of a massive attack that drew the orks into battle and distracted them from the true plan: A surprise attack upon the ork Overlord Urrlak Urruk. A powerful speartip assault utilizing drop pods and terminator armored warriors at the very steps of the citadel led by the most loved of all the Emperor's sons, Horus Lupercal.

"Father, who was Horus? I've never heard of him." Godwin frowned, he had no recollection of the name either. From the story he must have been a primarch but he'd never seen his name before.

"I don't know Til. Maybe it will explain at the end of the story." He continued reading about how Horus and only ten of his men made it into the throne room to confront the massive ork and his strongest warrior Nobz. While his brave men fought the many orks Horus made straight for their leader and dueled him with all the strength of his conviction. The battle was fierce for the ork was the most powerful of its kind but Horus proved the stronger. Crippling his foe with a cunning strike Horus lifted the bloated form of Urrlak over his head and cast him from the throne room to fall to his death on the street below.

Only one other survived that last cataclysmic duel, Abaddon, the first captain of Horus' legion the Luna Wolves. The overlord's death left the orks leaderless and they were easily defeated. The greenskins would never again pose such a threat to the Imperium of Man. In celebration the world of Ullanor was transformed by order of the Emperor. The Adeptus Mechanicus remade it into a suitable monument for the final act of the Emperor as the supreme warleader of the Imperium. Standing before the countless mortal soldiers and towering titans, surrounded by nine of his sons and their legions, the Emperor announced his retirement from active conflict. He was returning to Terra, to continue his eternal struggle for the betterment of mankind. In his place he would appoint one of his sons as Warmaster, the commander of all of the Master of Mankind's armies, mortal, Astartes, even mechanical. Taking the laurel crown from his own brow he placed upon the head of the one best suited for such a burden. Horus Lupercal.

The story went on for a few more pages detailing the beauty of the Triumph at Ullanor and the doings and sayings of the Emperor and the Primarchs but there was no answer to Tildda's question. Who was Horus?

The question still hung in Godwin's mind when he returned to the Lorevault to carry out Anaxium's errand. The old bookkeeper greeted him happily and ushered him into a cramped study.

"Care for something to drink?" He proffered a pot of ancient looking kaffe and dispite his better judgement Godwin took a cup and half-filled it with the warm blackish brown liquid. Anaxium cleared off a chair that had been totally hidden under scholarly detritus and waved his guest into it. Looking around in vain for another chair he perched upon the corner of his desk, his short legs not quite reaching the floor.

"So is lady Tildda enjoying her new book?"

"Aye, she's barely slept since she got it. In a few more days she will know the whole thing by heart." Godwin couldn't keep a note of pride out of his voice and Anaxium nodded his own satisfaction.

"That's impressive. I've read through it myself many times and the illustrations are as breathtaking as the stories they paint."

"That reminds me, there was a specific picture and a story Til had a question about. I'm no loremaster and couldn't give her a good answer." He took a sip of the kaffe and was pleasantly surprised to find it was, in fact, freshly brewed and of superior quality.

"I would be happy to illuminate you if I can." Anaxium put his cup down and steepled his fingers, every inch the patient instructor.

"Well the story is of the Ullanor crusade. It tells of the Emperor's great victory there with his sons but a name appears that I've never heard. Horus Lupercal, Lord of the Luna Wolves. The illustration that accompanies it seems to be the author's attempt to depict Horus being made warmaster. But I've never heard of such a being nor heard of such an event." Without answering Anaxium jumped up and hurried out of the room. Godwin blinked in mild surprise at his host's strange behavior.

"Just a minute! I know I left it around here somewhere." Anaxium's voice called from somewhere within his shop followed by several mild crashes. Just as Godwin was about to rise to offer the old man some assistance the lorekeeper returned bearing a tome that dwarfed Tildda's in both size and, if possible, in grandeur. It s binding was of some strange black metal and gold script, untarnished despite its apparent age spelled out its title, _De Primi Fili Imperatonis et Hominum Magnus Bellum._ Struggling to carry his prize Anxaium stumbled and almost fell but Godwin quickly rose to steady him. Together they cleared a large space on the desk and Anaxium reverently laid the book down, unclasped it, and opened it to the beginning. The old man flipped through several pages before finally arriving at what he was looking for.

"Ah! Here we are. Tell me Godwin, can you read high gothic? No? Well allow me to translate." He hovered a finger directly above a twin headed eagle, one head blindfold and looking to the right, the other with ruby red eyes glaring to the left. In its claws it held jagged lightning and over its twin heads were coronets.

"To answer your question we have to start at the beginning. The Emperor. Greatest of all, master of mankind. Back in the dim recesses of the past he rose to power on humanity's homeworld, Terra. Some men would have been content to rule a world or a system but the Emperor was no mere man. His grand design was to reunite all of humankind, long scattered and fragmented throughout the galaxy. To this end he allied himself with the Martian adepts of the Machine God who recognized him as the avatar of their strange lord." Anaxium tapped the strange cog and skull motif of the machine priests.

"Combining the most advanced genetic techniques and occult powers known only to himself he forged twenty beings from his own flesh to serve as generals in the coming war. These were the primarchs, demigods and fathers of the Adeptus Astartes." Anaxium flipped a page to show an illustration of twenty pods, each numbered from one to twenty, being watched over by a towering golden figure without a face.

"But some tragedy occurred. Somehow the nascent beings were scattered far from Terra and their father. Each was flung through the Immaterium to land on some distant world. In time each rose to become a great leader and warrior, ignorant of their true purpose. Until one by one, the Emperor and his armies found them and welcomed them back with great joy and celebration." He pointed at the winged figure of Sanguinus standing proudly upon the soil of Baal as a golden craft bearing the aquila of the Emperor descended from the skies.

"Each primarch was beloved of his father and were quickly reunited with their genetic offspring, the mighty space marines. Yet no primarch, no man, was as close to the Emperor as the son he found first upon a planet called Cthonia. Horus Lupercal, who for over thirty years fought alongside the Emperor before any of his brothers were rediscovered. His legion, the Luna Wolves, brought more worlds back into the fledgling Imperium than any other legion. As the Emperor was the architect of the Imperium so was Horus his greatest general and confidant. So it was that after the crushing defeat of the Orks at Ullanor that the Emperor raised Horus above all his fellows, naming him Warmaster of the Imperium and his chosen proxy."

The next picture showed the same man that Godwin recalled from Tildda's book. His armor was the deepest black and he wielded a massive claw in one hand and a terrible maul in the other. At his chest hung the token of the glaring red eye that Godwin had seen before. He stood clothed in power and majesty as he directed several transhuman legionaries in armor had changed too, from the white he had read of to sea green.

"But in the Schola they only taught us about nine legions, nine primarchs. This is the first I've ever seen or heard of this Horus and these others. From the sound of it he's a hero, why isn't he celebrated alongside Sanguinus or Dorn?" Anaxium frowned and poured over the work, flipping swiftly from page to page as if looking for something but not finding it. At length he stopped and shrugged.

"I am sorry to say that I have no answer for you here. It seems as if this book was commissioned just after the battle at Ullanor and that whatever erased him and ten of his fellows from the history books happened after. I can, at least, tell you the names of eight of the other primarchs mentioned and their legions. Here they are. Perturabo, Iron Warriors." He flipped to a page with a picture of the primarch. He was festooned with many technological wonders and stood staring at a city his warriors were clearly besieging. Perturabo's face held an interesting blend of anger and resignation that seemed rooted in sorrow.

"Konrad Curze, Night Lords." He flipped the page to show the corpse grey features of the man that had unsettled Godwin before. He stood alone on a rock that rose out of a lake of blood. Godwin swallowed feeling his nameless fear returning and was glad when Anaxium flipped to the next Primarch, the gaunt figure who carried a scythe.

"Mortarion, Death Guard." The primarch's features were obscured by a rebreather and his eyes were fixed upon a cliff that stretched out of the picture.

"Fulgrim, Emperor's Children." Here was the perfect warrior Godwin remembered. This time the arrogance of the primarch was a palpable thing. He held a strange flinty blade and stared out from the page with contempt written upon his too handsome features.

"Alpharius, Alpha Legion." At first Godwin couldn't find the primarch for the picture was of a battle scene and all the legionaries were exactly the same down to the last detail. Anaxium halted and smiled kindly. "He's that one there, the artist left a clue. Alpharius is sometimes depicted with a reflection, see how that pool of water mirrors him?" Clearing his throat he continued.

"Angron, World Eaters." This picture dripped violence and at the center was the bulky form of the primarch carving through shadowy enemies with his terrible chainaxes.

""Magnus the Red, Thousand Sons." Here was the giant with the strange eye. He dueled with willowy eldar though not with a sword or axe. One hand was held in front of him and from it a line of purest white light immolated an eldar while, at a gesture from his other, the very ground rose up to entomb the frail xenos.

"Last of all Lorgar Aurelian, Word Bearers." In contrast to his brothers Lorgar seemed serene and untroubled. With his grey armored sons behind him he knelt humbly in the ruins of a burnt out city. Golden script snaked all across his face and a trick of the light seemed to form the shape of a four pointed crown above his shaven head.

With an effort Anaxium closed the book and drummed his fingers thoughtfully upon its cover and stared intently into the middle distance. He mouthed silently to himself and Godwin caught the occasional word.

"...Horus...The Great Crusade...Lorgar...Lorgar Aurelian...Yes..Yes... Perhaps there..." Shaking himself out of his ruminations he looked back to Godwin who had been waiting patiently.

" There are other books my friend. I have an idea where I can find what you are looking for but it will take some time. Tell you what, while you deliver my package I will look into this further."

"Oh no, I couldn't trouble you further. You've already been so kind and..." Anaxium raised a pale hand.

"No trouble at all. Look around you, does it look like I do anything other than read?" He waved vaguely at the mountains and hillocks of books around him. "In any case, here is the package." He picked up a box that had been sitting at the end of the desk and handed it to Godwin. "And here is the voucher I promised." He passed a tattered script to Godwin. "Now if you leave now you will just catch the tram. The address is on the back of that voucher. Now hurry! I shall find an answer to your questions by the time you return. Oh, and make sure that you put this into lord Brogan's hand personally. He's a bit touchy and I don't want one of his underlings misplacing it and getting us both in hot water. " So saying he shooed Godwin out onto the road and off on his journey to the capitol.

On a hive world cities often grew into each other, intermingling until even the best maps couldn't tell where one started and the other began. Such was the case with the Cantawaren districts of Jute. The capitol, Wye, was surrounded by Eastry where Godwin's family lived and worked and Lympne, the seat of the Adeptus Mechanicus' power on Jute. The three cities in one still clung to their own ancient traditions though and each maintained separate internal government even as they acknowledged the authority of Wye's planetary governor. As he made the two hours long journey through Eastry into Wye Godwin idly scanned the twisting streets below as the tram moved along at a sedate pace.

Today was a full rest day in celebration of one of the many Imperial saints and it looked to Godwin like everyone who could was taking full advantage of it. Children laughed and played in the streets while their parents talked, argued, and drank to the memory of a saint that few of them had even heard of. A few of the more devout joined in the processions organized by the Ecclisiarchy and listened with rapt attention to the fiery speeches of the confessors and priests. As the tram made its way closer and to the center of Wye the affluence of the buildings became more and more apparent. In contrast to the small homes that a few families like Godwin's managed to own or the towering hab-blocks that soared into the heavens the aristocrats of Jute favored enclosed manors with sweeping keeps. Islands of peace and calm within the noise and hurry of the city. The intended recipient for Anaxium's package, the nobleman Brogan, lived in such a castle though much closer to the center of the capitol.

The tram stopped just outside the inner ring of the city, a concession to the nobles who had no desire for lower class men and women to have easy access to the grandeur of the heart of Wye. If he had been one of the rich or powerful Godwin would have been met by retainers and ridden the rest of the way. Since he was not he had to walk instead. The roads sloped slightly upward, rising towards the dark spire of the Sable Falcons. The streets were excellently maintained, no uneven cobblestones or scattered trash, and high walls of various shades and hues hid the beautiful demesnes and cultivated gardens of the noble families.

It took Godwin a full hour of walking before he finally hove into sight of his destination. Anaxium's delivery bundle, though light, had started to become something of a burden and so the sight of elegant gates marked, as noted by the old lorekeeper, with three teardrops of deepest emerald filled Godwin with relief. As he approached the gates to knock a gatekeeper in greenish mail stepped out from an alcove and held up a perfunctory hand.

"Halt sirrah. What business have you here?" The package prevented godwin from easily bowing so he settled for a courteous nod of the head instead.

"I am Godwin Senlis sir. I am here to deliver this package to your lord."

"I doubt my lord needs to be bothered with a factory worker like you. Leave your package and if, as you say, my lord is indeed expecting a delivery I will make sure he receives it." Clearly the guard was not in the custom of letting any visitors in without a good reason. Still, Anaxium had said to make sure that Brogan received the package personally. Bracing himself for an argument Godwin pressed on.

"I was told to deliver this into his hands sir."

"That simply is not possible. Now either leave it with me and I will see to it or not."

"Lorekeeper Anaxium was very clea..." The guard's complexion totally changed at the name. For the first time he smiled broadly and his posture relaxed.

"Old An? This is from him? Why didn't you say so before? My pardon sir, I took you for a common layabout." He punched a quick code into a terminal and the gates began to swing open. Turning back to Godwin he gestured politely for him to enter and led him into the citadel

Behind the gate was a large courtyard paved in granite with a variety of old trees planted in neat rows leading to the main keep. As the two men walked they were accosted several times by various servants and other guards but the gatekeeper waved them off patiently. The keep itself was an inspiring sight and looked to be hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of years old. To be so close to the Governor's palace and the Spire showed Brogan's importance. Unlike some of the newer and more gaudy castle-keeps that Godwin had seen on his journey Brogan's home was built in a solid and traditional manner. Not for him smooth marbled walls or ostentatious gold ornamentation. Instead it was constructed of simple stone blocks that gave it a very squat look. In size it was massive but only about three stories high.

"Been in his family since before the Spire." The gatekeeper remarked proudly seeing Godwin looking up at it. "Built before the hive city or so lord Brogan tells it. Here we are though." They had reached the inner gates which stood invitingly open. Godwin was about to walk through but his guide tapped him on the shoulder and then pointed over towards a small gathering of people loitering at the stable just before the gate.

"He's over there. Tending to a mare that was lamed earlier this year. Always did have a soft spot for his horses."

"He cares for the horses himself?" Godwin asked surprised.

"Oh aye, since he was a lad I hear. Not one of your uppity nobles at all. Got his feet firmly on the ground. Looks like he's finishing up though." A balding middle aged man of medium height rose from inspecting one of the horse's hooves and rinsed his hands off quickly at a nearby fountain. Catching sight of the gatekeeper and the newcomer he plucked a towel from a young servant's arm, dried himself, and waved the two to come closer.

"What have you found here Dreng?"

"Visitor my lord, bearing something from master Anaxium." Godwin approached, carefully set his cargo down, and offered a low formal bow.

"My lord Brogan, I am Godwin Senlis here on behalf of lorekeeper Anaxium. I humbly offer..." Brogan interrupted him mid sentence.

"Rise Godwin, no need for that. You've brought my shipment I see?" Straightening himself up Godwin nodded.

"Yes sir, that package there."

"Excellent. Dreng? See to it please."

"Of course my lord." Dreng picked up the bundle and disappeared into the keep proper along with the rest of the servants leaving only Brogan and Godwin standing outside. Unsure of what to say to this strangely approachable noble Godwin was about to make a gracious exit when Brogan broke the silence.

"So Anaxium sent you...are you and he close?"

"He's always been kind to my family especially to my daughter. In fact my coming here was his bargain for giving her a book."

"Oh? Which book?"

" An ancient history book sir. It was quite valuable and I couldn't easily afford it but Anaxium gave it to her for the price of my delivering your package." Brogan cocked his head to the side and looked interested.

"History book eh? How old is your daughter if I might ask."

"Five, nearly six."

"Heavy reading for one so young. Hard too. She hasn't even gone to the Schola yet. You must be proud."

"Oh yes sir! Hopefully we will be able to scrape together enough money to send her to the Schola Prima in a year. She's a fast learner and a hard worker." He stopped and flushed, conscious that he was rambling on about his family in front of one of the most powerful men on Jute.

"Apologies sir, I didn't mean to bore you." Brogan smiled showing strong square teeth.

"A father's pride is nothing to apologize for. If An has taken an interest in her than I know she will go far. He's always had an eye for talent." Brogan chuckled at a thought. Looking back at Godwin he explained.

"When I was a boy he was my tutor in high gothic. One day when I was nine we were learning a particularly difficult construction that I had been unable to get for the past three weeks. I was a spoiled little thing back then and I confess I threw down my books and proclaimed I didn't need to learn any of it. After all, my family is one of the oldest and most powerful here on Jute, what need did I have of high gothic? Some lorekeepers might have shouted and screamed, others might have just given up but not An. "Master Brogan," he said "You'll go far in your life with or without learning, that much is true. However, how can you rule your household or help govern Jute if you cannot even control yourself?" Took the wind right out of my sails I tell you."

Brogan's smile broadened as he recounted the story. "He was right of course though it took a few years and a few more hard lessons for me to really understand that. Trust me, if he thinks your daughter will do well then even the stars won't be outside her reach one day."

"I hope so, she's too bright to be a factory worker and too free spirited to join the Adeptus Mechanicus like her mother."

"Your wife is a tech-adept?" Brogan seemed mildly surprised, impressed even.

"Yes sir. An Adept of the the Second Order now though it is unlikely she will ever rise any higher. The price of our life together unfortunately."

"Seems a worthy enough trade to me. I take it that you both work in the Euciian Manufactorium?" The question surprised Godwin as he had taken great pains to dress himself appropriately to meet a noble.

"Yes sir. She is the adept assigned to our floor. My son works with us as well, down the production line. How did you know?" Brogan chuckled softly and turned to walk towards the inner section of his keep gesturing Godwin to follow him.

"A guess really. From your accent you are from Eastry and that is the largest manufactorum there. Also how else would you meet your lovely tech-adept of a wife if not at work?"

The two passed through the inner gate and up towards the main house. The gates began to grind to a close behind them. Servants opened the large wooden door to admit them into a grand feasthall that was a hustle of activity. Several long tables stretched the length of the room pointing to a horizontal table at the far end of the room. Green robed servants trimmed the many candles in massive iron chandeliers while pages and serving girls prepared the tables.

"It's in honor of the feast of St. Brinda today. Or is it St. Bridan? I never can keep up with them all. I hope that you will do me the honor of staying here tonight as my guest. The trams will have shut down for the processions by the time you make your way back there." It was a tempting offer to Godwin, he could already smell the beginnings of a wonderful meal emanating in waves from the kitchens. The voucher Anaxium had handed him would get him a small hard bed and a passable meal but no more.

"I would hate to impose sir." Brogan clapped him hard on the back.

"Nonsense! Least I can do for a friend of An's. He waved a hand and Dreng appeared from one of the doorways.

"Dreng, find our friend here a room will you? As for you Godwin, I hope you'll excuse me. I have a few matters to attend to before the feast." He offered a strong calloused hand. Godwin shook it firmly.

"Of course sir. Many thanks for your kindness."

"Think nothing of it. See you this evening."

"More mead wench!" The call came from far down the long table from a man who was clearly in more need of a bed for the night than another drink. The hall was absolutely packed with men and women from all walks of life engaged in all manner of revelry and celebration. Drinking songs drifted through the air along as all manner of toasts were raised, jesters capered and amused all with their madcap antics, and children played underneath the tables. For his own part Godwin was content to indulge in the veritable flood of wonderful food and better drink that poured forth from the kitchens.

The festivities had been going on for many hours and he suspected that they would last until dawn. Brogan had taken his leave almost an hour earlier along with some of the more important guests. It had impressed Godwin to notice that his host had made a point of stopping by at each table and personally greeting all his guests. He drank a toast with some, laughed with others, and sometimes sat down and spent many long minutes engaged in earnest conversation with a particular individual. Godwin had been among that number.

"So how are you enjoying yourself this eve? Is the food to your liking? Did Dreng put you in a good room and not a closet?" He had asked as he sat down next to Godwin.

"He put me in a room the size of my own living room sir, I couldn't ask for any better. Thank you again for your hospitality tonight, the food is excellent and I've never seen the like of a celebration like this except at a distance." His host nodded in acknowledgement and then leaned in close so as not to be overheard.

"You are always welcome here my friend, your family too. As a matter of fact I just had time during the party to speak to Iterator Ormod about your daughter."

"My daughter?"

"Yes, such a promising student needs to go to the Schola Prima and I managed to convince him that the fee should be waived for you." Already surprised Godwin almost dropped his tankard at that.

"My lord...that is most generous. It's TOO generous, if I might be so bold. You barely know me."

"I know a good man when I see one and I will have need of good men. If the price I have to pay is helping that man's daughter then I pay it gladly. Here," He pushed a bulky envelope into Godwin's hand "This here is the writ of admission to the Schola along with Iterator Ormod's personal recommendation. Present it at the Schola within the week and all should be in order." Godwin could feel his face flushing and he almost dropped the envelope.

"I...I can't thank you enough sir. How can I ever repay you?" Brogan slapped him on the back as he rose to leave.

"Let's just say that you owe me a favor. Have a good evening Godwin, let me know if you want for anything further." And with that he had turned and continued the arduous process of greeting the remainder of his guests.

That had been hours ago and many, many, more ales previously and Godwin was feeling the effects. The large chronometer that he could see above the main table said it was 2.16 and he remembered that he still had to make his way back to his home earlier. He managed struggled to his feet and weaved his way out of the hall. As he did he was almost bowled over by an immensely large and staggeringly drunk man who pushed past him. Biting back his anger, it wasn't his house after all, he followed the man up down the winding stairs that led to his room. Or at least where he thought his room was, he had only been to it once and being much the worse for drink he couldn't quite recall the exact route.

Down and down he went peering owlishly at every room he passed but nothing looked familiar. The fat man ahead of him seemed to have a destination in mind and Godwin was less than confident of his ability to find his way out of this labyrinth so he followed in his wake. After a few more minutes the man seemed to reach his destination. An ornate door carved with a variation of Brogan's crest, three circles of tarnished green copper. The large man rapped at the door and a slit opened near the top.

"Who comes?" came a voice from the other side.

"Ator, I got caught up in the festivities above." He turned and looked blearily at Godwin. "Another of our number is with me. Let us in." There was a hesitation for a moment but the door did open and light spilled into the small corridor. The obese man squeezed his way in through the door and Godwin followed behind him. The guard made a strange sign to both of them as they entered, it was formed from combining the two hands with the thumb and pinkies steepled to for a circular symbol with eight points. Whatever it was it meant nothing to Godwin, perhaps it was a greeting of the house guards, he had heard of such things after all.

The air was heavy in the new corridor. Wet, rank even, and with a pungency that Godwin couldn't quite place. The corridor ended soon after the door at a spiral staircase that twisted even further downward. The heat and the smells only increased as the odd pair made their way further down. Strange sounds echoed up from below, guttural and urgent. Drawn forward by curiosity he continued down the stairs until at last he rounded the final bend. What he saw stole his breath.

In form it was like to another banquet, similar to the one still going on above, but that was merely a pretense. Where the food he had eaten previously had been perfectly prepared and fresh the dishes here were heaped with food that had long since begun to mold and rot. Flies buzzed in a monotone dirge as they feasted upon putrescent beef and noxious fruit. The smell of it nearly drove Godwin to his knees and he felt the urge to regurgitate his meal but was too busy trying to make sense of the gathering he had stumbled upon.

Sitting calmly at the tables were dozens of robed figures. Each one bore the same symbol as on the door at the top of the staircase, three circles of rusting or discolored metal arranged in a vague pyramid, on a leathery cord around their necks. Hoods prevented him from identifying anyone and, fortunately for him, their attention was fixed on a small group at what seemed to be the main table. It was from there that the chanting that Godwin had heard was emanating, a slow droning cant that inspired both weariness and despair. Upon the table was the body of a young boy, cruelly cut apart and long since dead. The leader of the gathering waved a rusted knife, clearly the implement of the boy's death, in strange arcs over the body while speaking in a tongue man was never meant to utter.

The profane right was clearly coming to some sort of a crescendo though for the pace of the chanting had begun to increase and the leader's movements became ever more frantic. The buzzing of flies was the underpinning accompaniment to the growling mewling noises that came from the throats of the celebrants. Like a hellish conductor the leader drew more and more volume and passion from the gathered host and his knife flicked flakes of old blood as he gestured ever more wildly. Godwin could feel something in the air, something powerful, ancient beyond the scope of man. A presence, that was the only way to explain it. A consciousness called from the hideous depths of the abyss come to answer this ritual's call.

Without warning the knife in the man's hand flashed, impaling one of his fellows though clearly without intent to kill. Blood spurted and fell upon the child's corpse as one last word, laden with power and corruption, echoed throughout the room as the gathering spoke, screamed even, as one.

NURGLE...

The presence that Godwin felt stirred. Lazily, playfully, reality shifted at this being's name. He could hear a croaking paternal laughter that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. This was wrong, he knew he should leave, quickly before anyone realized he wasn't a member of this...cult. He was just about to backtrack up the stairs when he glanced back towards the front of the room at a sudden flare of light. The boy's corpse was lined with a consumptive greenish light. A wind picked up in the room and Godwin realized that it was the frantic beating of many thousands of insectoid wings as they flew in unison in a massive circle centered on the boy. His limp body was lifted up like a puppet by the alien power invoked and suspended in mid air as the strange fire raged across him. And then he breathed. Breathed like a man who had been drowning and just broken the surface. His body was still mangled and cut, in particular his guts hung precariously out of his body, but life seemed to flow back into him in defiance of nature. His form began to change, morphing from a skinny youth into a grotesque bloated thing whose very sight brought back Godwin's desire to vomit.

"See now the power of the Lord of Decay made manifest!" the man intoned. "That which was dead walks once more! Immortality is the gift of our benevolent father, pledge yourselves to him and you shall walk the ages of the future yet to come as his favored servants. Embrace his lifegiving disease and let his loving touch remove pain from your bodies. Our hour approaches and only his faithful shall be spared. Soon we will open a way through the warp for his soldiers and allies and together we shall take this world for our own! We will cast down the false Emperor and erase his slaves from the pages of history!"

Heresy. Blasphemy. Madness. None of the words that came into Godwin's mind quite encompassed the sick feeling twisting in his stomach. One came close though, _Traitors_. Something had to be done, but what? Had he been braver, or far more stupid, he would have denounced these heretics for turning from the God-Emperor's light. Had he been more of a coward he would have fled and never spoken of what he saw. He was weighing his options when the men and women stood and began to remove their hoods. As he hadn't been born into the higher echelons of society some of the faces were unknown to him but others he couldn't help but recognize. Many were high governmental officials that he could identify based on the various decorations that were revealed beneath the robes. Others were clearly of the old nobility, members of Jute's most ancient families. Foremost among them was the cult leader who still held the bloody knife in his left hand as he pulled of his hood. Brogan. His erstwhile host was speaking quietly to the child-thing but it was definitely him.

_How deep does this run?_ He thought dazedly. _These are the most powerful people on the planet, heretics one and all. What should I do? I have to get word to the Governor, or the Arbites...no, they would have agents there. My family, oh Merciful Emperor, they could kill me and my own and no one would even notice. Anaxium, he will know what to do. He will know what this is. I just need to keep my head down and get out of this alive. Proof, I will need to get something to show An, some proof of the goings on here. _He looked around distractedly and his eye lighted on one of the symbols the cultists were wearing hanging on a rack with many hooks near the door.

Moving slowly, doing his best to not attract any attention, he walked over and palmed the item and then made a surreptitious exit. The door guard nodded to him.

"Are they done down there?" Not wanting to cause suspicion Godwin stopped answered him.

"Aye, the ritual is completed. I must take my leave now though." The guard nodded at that and was just about to open the door when he whipped round to look back at Godwin.

"Don't I know you?" He peered closely at Godwin. "Yeah, you're the one An sent, the one with the package." He pulled his helm off revealing the familiar features of Dreng. "I didn't know you were one of us, are you from the Eastry Brotherhood?" Godwin rolled with the question, nothing else to do at this point.

"Yes, I was only recently inducted though. The brotherhood sent me here to witness the greatness of our master." Dreng seemed satisfied at that and moved back towards the door.

"They picked the right night for it, a resurrection, Brogan's own son no less. The gods favor us more and more every day. Well, take care brother," he opened the door and stood aside. "and may the blessings of the Plaguefather be with you." He made the same strange eight pointed sign with his hands and Godwin quickly mimicked him.

"And with you. Until we meet again." he walked through the door as Dreng's voice carried after him.

"Not long now! In a few weeks we will cleanse Jute together!."

20


	2. Chapter 2

II

Home had never before looked so welcoming as it did as Godwin stumbled back near dawn. He had made a quick exit from Brogan's manor and legged it all the way back to his house. The journey had taken hours and his nerves were on a hair trigger. Every man or woman he had met on his way he had half expected to be an assassin or cultist and every shadow brought to mind that horrible being that Brogan's son had become. As he bolted the final flight of stairs to his door he almost ran full on into his cousin Eldwaith.

"Godwin! I was just looking for you. I was going to ask for an extension on the rent, lost a fair amount gambli..." His voice trailed off as he finally registered Godwin's disheveled appearance. "Blood of Terra, are you ok?" Godwin was panting, the adrenaline high that had kept him going was fading and he could feel exhaustion threatening to overwhelm him. He felt cold too, deathly cold. His bones ached and he realized that he was perspiring copiously. His vision was spinning and he felt incredibly faint. Something was very wrong and he reached out to grasp Eldwaith's arm for support.

"Eld..Waith...Thank the Emperor...I need...help." His cousin caught him as he crumpled towards the floor and darkness flooded his vision as he passed out.

He was all alone, standing on a field of ash, his only company were corpses. The air smelled of death and chemical reek, nothing could be seen as far as the eye could see except for thousands upon thousands of dead bodies scattered about. They had died fighting it seemed for as he walked ammunition clinked beneath his booted feet. He did know where he was or where he was going but the compulsion to walk forced him to continue trudging on. As he walked he caught glimpses of familiar faces in the crowd of bodies. Friends, fellow workers, even neighbors. All dead, all rotting. The sky was burning above, void war perhaps? He was oddly unconcerned by the thought.

At last he was approaching something though, one of the many ancient buildings from Jute's past. Before the Emperor had come this had been a temple to a god of hope and plenty, now it was riddled with corruption and barely standing. The interior was only slightly less of a wreck but it was at least away from the unseeing stares of the countless dead outside. Godwin knelt before the broken altar and began a prayer for aid from the God-Emperor.

"Noble Emperor I beseech thee. Benevolent Emperor I beg thee. Just Emperor I call upon thee. Hear my voice in darkness and raise me into your glorious light at end of my life."

There is no one to hear your cry little one, no one but me...

At first Godwin thought he had imagined it but the voice had come from the altar, within it somehow.

"Wha...What?" The words had scarce left his lips before he yelped in fear and scrambled away from the broken altar as a horde of insects welled up from it. They formed a strange and almost humanoid shape that regarded Godwin out of multifaceted eyes.

"Who are you? WHAT are you?" The insect form gave a hissing laugh formed from the rustling of its many component parts.

Who am I? I am your future. I am an emissary of the Plaguefather and the herald of this world's new age. I am death...or perhaps life, I am never sure. The thing arched cricket formed eyebrows and seemed content to leave it at that. Not wanting to upset it Godwin didn't press the issue but went straight into his next question.

"Where are we? What is this? I was just at my home with my cousin. I fell..."

Your body remains there. You have been touched by the Plaguefather. You observed one of his servant's rituals. I was there, I brought tidings of life back into that boy. Now I will bring life into you. Such life as will drive you to distraction with the pain of it. You have seen too much and what you know must never be revealed. As we speak your body rages with fever. When you wake you will be mad, enraged beyond reason. You will strike your loved ones down, your friends, even random passers by. They will think you another one driven mad by the plague that I have insinuated throughout this world. Then they will kill you for me. You will watch yourself do these things and be powerless to stop it.

Impossible. This had to be some sort of nightmare or hallucination. The events of the evening must have driven him insane. Maybe they had been a delusion too. Godwin dearly wished that were the case but in his heart he knew it wasn't. He felt he shoulders slump in defeat, what could he do in this twisted dreamscape against this creature? What could he even do back in the real world against Brogan and half of the city's elite? Despair filled him with its paralyzing numbness and the creature chittered happily.

That's right. Give in to it. You never would have survived anyway. Your family will die too, one at a time to disease and violence. This world will soon burn but I'm afraid you won't be alive to see it. There, there. The thing was creeping forward on innumerable legs and Godwin was rooted to the spot by the feeling of abject hopelessness at his situation. I promise that you won't feel anything but agony. Oh, but that's not the end. No afterlife surrounded by family and basking in the light of your precious Emperor. No, that's a lie you see. Your soul will be torn apart by the warp until nothing exists of you. You will become one with the stuff of the Gods my dear friend, think about that. All that you were stripped away until there is nothing left. Every fear devoured, every hate consumed.

The thing was growing in size and it towered over Godwin. He felt tears of impotent rage and deepest despair trailing down his cheeks. The creature reached out a squirming hand to lovingly wipe them away.

Time to die now Godwin. I will make sure that you pay special attention to that delightful little girl too. Its hand suddenly discorporated and Godwin was covered in thousands of insects that bit and stung him. The pain was unlike anything he had ever felt, it was almost as if each sting or bite multiplied the pain of every other attack by the swarm. They were all over him, crawling down his throat and into his eyes and ears and he couldn't move. All his despair, all his rage, none of it mattered. Through his haze of pain he could just hear the creature's mocking laughter as it tormented him. His thoughts were frantic and disjointed, punctuated by the searing pain inflicted on him.

_No...No...No...please, I can't...I...God no...Ah!...someone...Anyone...I will do anything...I won't tell...I will do whatever you want...just spare my family...oh god...Ealhwyn...my love...please don't make me kill her...Til, Sigread...I love you so much...I won't do it...I can't...It hurts so much but I won't do it!_

You have spirit mortal, strong spirit but the choice isn't in your ha...what? Who dares? No! HE IS AN ENEMY! HE MUST BE SILENCED! Release me! The Plaguefather sent me...

Godwin's eyes snapped open and he was back in the real world being cradled by his wife and hugged by his children. They were sobbing hysterically though not with sorrow.

"What...What happened?" He managed to ask before being drowned out by his daughter's piercing wail. He was in his bedroom, that much was certain, and his clothes had been changed. He felt the beginnings of a beard, how long had he been unconscious? Standing next to his bed was a figure that only added to his uncertainty. Brogan...Looking as concerned for Godwin as if it were his own brother. Several tears were dripping down the man's lined face and when Godwin caught his eye he beamed at him with every outward appearance of relief.

"Emperor be praised, you are finally back with us." Ealhwyn had finally calmed enough to speak and she took her husbands now scruffy cheeks in her hands and kissed him on the forehead tenderly. "We almost lost you. If Lord Brogan hadn't stopped by a few days ago..." She glanced thankfully over at the nobleman who took up the narrative.

"I came by to see why you hadn't handed in the letter of admission to the Schola for young Tildda. Ormod informed me he hadn't seen either it or you so I thought I would drop by and see if some problem had developed. You had been in a deathly sleep for almost a week by then and were fading fast. It's this plague that everyone is worrying about. You must have contracted it from one of my guests since a few others have been struck down. Fortunately you were stronger than most, a Manufactorium worker's constitution I guess, and I was able to get help and good medicines for you. After all, if I hadn't insisted that you stay you wouldn't have contracted the illness"

"He's been so helpful love, he even found time to make sure Tildda was enrolled properly in the Schola." Brogan bowed his head modestly at Ealhwyn's praise and raised a depreciating hand.

"Please, Lady Senlis, please. It is the least I could do." He looked up to catch Godwin's eye "When you are feeling better Godwin I would be honored if you would drop by my keep again, I have an offer to make you. Until then rest and regain your strength my friend." He nodded to Godwin and then again to the rest of the family before taking his leave. As his family closed in on him laughing and teary eyed with joy only one thought hung in Godwin's mind.

_He's did this to me, but why did he spare me?_

The road to recovery was a long one. Though he was able to move about the next day Godwin's body was still very weak and tired easily. His family tended to him patiently and lovingly but the pall of his strange evening hung heavy on his mind. Days passed and Tildda began her first classes at the Schola. Brogan had been better than his word and had somehow managed to get her in despite the school year being almost half over. Every day she returned glowing with happiness and regaled Godwin with her lessons. Sigread had, in the meanwhile, stepped into his father's shoes and kept him informed of the goings on in the manufactorum. Here again Brogan's powerful hand was felt as, according to Sigread and Eahlwyn, they had both been noted for advancement and Godwin had apparently been promoted to overseer statis despite his continued absence. The only effect that this news had on Godwin was a deepening of his fears.

A week and a half after he had awoken he was walking haltingly around his house when a knocking came at his front door. Normally one of his family would have been home to answer the door but Tildda was still at the Schola for another five hours and Sigread and his wife were both hard at work at the manufactorum.

"Coming!" he yelled as he shuffled towards the door cursing silently under his breath. He opened the door and found, to his surprise, his cousin Eldwaith.

"El?" He managed to get out before his kinsman pushed him forcefully inside and slammed the door shut.

"What's this abou..." Before he could finish the sentence Eldwaith reached into his pocket and tossed something to him. Surprised Godwin caught it and only when he looked at it did he realize the significance of what he held. A symbol of three circles made of rusted iron. The same icon he had seen in his "dream". His cousin looked at him with haunted eyes and pointed an accusing finger at the medallion.

"What. Is. This?" Godwin stared at the small metal object he held. He had searched for it every day since he woke up without finding it. Proof. Proof of his insane evening and proof of Brogan's perfidious actions. Now, at last, resting in his hands was all the evidence he needed to validate him.

"Where...did you find this?" he asked as he turned the small icon over in his hand. Eldwaith stared at him for a long moment, appraising him, before answering.

"It fell out of your hand when you collapsed days ago. I picked it up. I'm not proud of it but I thought to sell it. My debts have grown and I needed the money but this...THING...is cursed. I put it on my desk and it rusted over night. I put it in my closet and mold grew there in less than a day. I accidentally left it on my kitchen counter and my food rotted in the pantry. And the dreams, Godwin, the dreams torment me. I smell the stink of death, I hear the rustling of insects, the last breaths of the dying, and above it all a mad voice chuckling and croaking strange words over and over into infinity."

He looked into his cousin's eyes and saw that they were filled with a manic intensity as he spoke, his voice was hoarse with weariness and he sounded on the edge of some kind of mental break. Eldwaith had never been the most self possessed or stable of Godwin's relatives but his ordeal had obviously driven him to the brink of insanity. Haltingly Godwin laid the small medallion on a side table and sank slowly into a chair gesturing for Eldwaith to do the same.

"I don't know what this is Eldwaith. I found it at...I found it under strange circumstances." He was choosing his words carefully. It was bad enough that this had fallen into his cousin's hand, worse that it had tormented him slow. To fully reveal how he came by it would expose him to even worse dangers.

"What circumstances?" Eldwaith demanded.

"I can't say cousin, it's for your own safety."

"Safety be damned Godwin! I may not know exactly what this is but I know evil when I see it. Now tell me what this is and where you got it." Looking into his kinsman's face he could see that there was no way around it. One way or another Eldwaith would get the story out of him. Sighing he began to recount the events that had culminated in the heathen ritual beneath Brogan's manor. Through it all Eldwaith sat totally still, his eyes only rarely blinking, drinking in the tale. After Godwin had finished silence hung in the air for a very long moment before at last Eldwaith spoke again.

"What should we do?" They both glanced at the icon sitting on the end table. Godwin shook his head.

"I don't know, but I think I know someone who can help us."

The tower keep of the Sable Falcons' was a mysterious place to most who lived on Jute. Though it had loomed over the city, above and below, from a time outside of memory only the secretive Astartes, a few chosen individuals, and those entering to begin the Trials knew what lay within its black iron walls. Long ago, before he had earned his new name in those Trials, a young Master Apothecary Velendus had looked up at it and dreamed of what might lie within. Now he knew all too well; a once mighty chapter of Space Marines in slow decline. The Falcons had been formed during the Third Founding from the geneseed of the decimated Raven Guard legion. Like their primogenitors the Falcons favored stealth and guile rather than massed might and had accrued a glowing record of victories over the many thousands of years since they had first come to Jute. The last two hundred years though had seen a terrible reversal in their fortunes.

It had begun with an attack on a nearby system by shadowy forces. True to their oaths the Sable Falcons had dispatched a large strike fleet to deal with the threat. Three companies left to prosecute the Emperor's justice. Two hundred and ten marines and their equipment supported by five full regiments of the Jutian Imperial Guard left Jute, less than an eighth had returned. It had been a massive trap, the world had fallen to the machinations of the traitorous Word Bearer Legion. The Sable Falcons, known for their small unit actions were divided and picked off piecemeal. Most had died on that planet, Velendus, then a newly inducted scout, had been one of the lucky few who had survived.

That massive loss had been sapped the strength of the chapter, never up to strength to begin with. With so many worlds depending on the Falcons for defense their already thin numbers were stretched still thinner. The chapter had still not recovered and had in fact suffered through several more disasters almost as crippling. Normally these losses would have been recouped slowly by initiating new space marines into the chapter but the true tragedy of the Word Bearer's ambush had been a work of foul sorcery that had corrupted the geneseed of the fallen Falcons beyond any hope of use. Without geneseed it was impossible to transform a young man into a space marine and the stores of it available had not been enough to replace even a quarter of the losses suffered.

Now, though, a new threat to the Falcons had arisen. Plague on their homeworld. Men, women, and children were dying by the thousands and all efforts by the Adeptus Mechanicus had not even slowed the spread of the virulent disease. The Planetary Governor had petitioned the Falcons for aid weeks ago and Veledus and his fellow Apothecaries had been sent out into the community to research the phage. So far all those infected had died within days of infection and the danger was only growing. Rumors abounded that this was some sort of curse, that the Governor was deliberately slow in dealing with the plague, that the Emperor had forsaken Jute. If a cure was not found soon there would be full scale rioting before too long. It was up to Velendus and his handful of Apothecaries to keep it from coming to that.

He had just returned from visiting Basingas, one of the most affected slums, and the news was even worse than he could have believed. Hundreds upon thousands were infected and dying, more were in a state of hysteria at the prospect of living cheek by jowl with the diseased. Despite his best efforts Velendus hadn't been able to save a single person so far with conventional treatment, thus it was time to try some unconventional ones. Walking through the dimly lit halls he could feel the drop in temperature, smell the old blood, that always presaged his entry into the Apothecarium. The ancient metal door groaned as it opened for him and he walked into a well lit antechamber. Ahead of him was the inner door that would lead to the surgery, to his left was his private office and laboratory, it was to his right, however, that was his destination lay. Another door barred his path but where the main and inner doors only bore the Prime Helix this one was beautifully tooled into the image of a space marine with each of his nineteen implants indicated and named. Raising his right hand Velendus pressed the outline of Larramen's Organ and the door opened in response.

Seated inside were the remainder of his fellow apothecaries. Some were in their power armor, others in simple robes, but all were amongst the bravest and most intelligent of the Sable Falcons, each singled out for this signal honor from amongst hundreds of their brothers. An Apothecary was one of the highest ranks a space marine could attain for they held the life and perpetuation of their chapter within their hands. Each was expected to put his life behind that of any of their brothers, to give their last drop of blood as a transfusion, and, most importantly, to tend to both the removal of geneseed from the fallen and ensure that it found a place within a compatible youth. Now they were turning their prodigious talents towards dealing with this new plague.

"...But it cannot be possible that this is both virus and bacteria AND mold into the bargain." Senior Apothecary Hestian looked as exasperated as Velendus had ever seen him. Usually in such gatherings he kept his peace and only offered a few sentences, usually quite insightful ones. A younger looking Apothecary, Martellius by name, shot back at the older marine.

"And yet that is what all the evidence seems to suggest. You can argue all you like with me, look at the data though. We have tried every treatment that would normally halt a virus and nothing has happened. We added in antibiotics since you posited that this could be bacterial and saw the same lack of effect. Finally Gradrios tried both together with anti-fungals and the patient improved!"

"...for a day and then he died in agony as your cocktail melted his internal organs. We cannot overlook the possibility that this is..."

"Not a natural disease." Velendus finished Hestian's sentence and the room turned to look at him, waiting for him to continue. Taking his seat at the head of the table Velendus expanded on his suspicion. "I have been considering this as a potential answer and the evidence continues to mount. The speed of infection, hallmark of a virus or bacteria, its tenacity, a sign of a fungal infestation, its sudden appearance and our inability to isolate it...all these things suggest that we are dealing with more than a common illness. This could be a warpspawned plague."

"How can we go about proving this? Chapter Master Scaevolus won't like hearing that there might be some sort of devilish disease born in the warp without some real evidence." Hestian sounded unsure but Martellius was nodding as he considered the implications.

"That would explain everything...but how can we treat such a thing?" Veledus and the older Apothecaries exchanged uneasy glances before the Master Apothecary answered his junior.

"Kill everything touched by it."

The trip to Anaxium's seemed to take hours. As the undertram slowly ascended to the upper city Godwin sat and tried to rest, the short walk to the station had winded him, and did his best to ignore Eldwaith's constant twitching. His cousin was like a man possessed, impatiently drumming his fingers on his knees and glancing about wildly. When the tram finally arrived at their stop he leaped to his feet and half carried Godwin along. For his own part Godwin was glad for his energy and company, this was a journey that would have been out of the question for him for several more days and he needed answers immediately.

The walk was a long one and by the time they reached the Lorevault Godwin was shaking with exhaustion and barely able to stand. Eldwaith had been relentless, no stops, no rests. Seeing his destination at last he picked up the pace and dragged Godwin into the store. The inside looked much as it had on Godwin's last visit though if anything there seemed to be even more books and decidedly more clutter. Anaxium was nowhere to be seen though.

"Anaxium!" Eldwaith shouted, his voice muffled by the literal walls books. "Get out here, we need help!" From somewhere deep in the recesses of the building a small crash emanated followed after a few moments by the quick patter of someone running. Anaxium appeared from on of the many rows of bookcases and just managed to slow down enough to keep from running into Eldwaith and Godwin. He looked at them with concern and confusion.

"What in the Emperor's name? What's wrong?" He at last seemed to recognize the pair and move forward to help. "Godwin? I thought you were still ill, what are you doing here?" Eldwaith cut him off.

"We are here to seek answers from you." He dug in his pocket and tossed the icon to the Lorekeeper. Anaxium glanced at it quickly and then the color drained from his face. He tried to speak but the words seemed to catch in his throat. The small medallion dropped from his nerveless hands as he sank slowly to the floor.

"It...can't be..." he managed at length. "Oh Merciful Emperor save us, where did you find this?" Godwin had regained some of his strength and he limped over to Anaxium. Leaning down he whispered to the old man.

"I found it at Lord Brogan's keep in some ritual chamber while he was engaged in some sort of fey devotion to dark powers." If possible Anaxium's face turned a shade paler but he slowly forced himself to his feet and pressed a key into Eldwaith's hand.

"You, Eldwaith is it? Lock the doors and dim the lights. Godwin, if you would help me to my study I think I had better hear the whole tale." He shot a look of absolute disgust at the small metal object still lying on the floor where he had dropped it. "And bring that with you."

The three reconvened minutes later in Anaxium's comfortable, if messy, study. This time however no kaffe was offered, no pleasant conversation to start with. Anaxium pushed a whole load of books off of his desk to fall with a crash on the floor. Ignoring the noise he motioned for Godwin to place the icon in the area he had cleared. He sat straight backed in his chair and stared intently at Godwin as he listened to the whole story of his night in Brogan's keep. Every now and then he would stop Godwin and ask for more detail or an occasional clarification but his questions were brief and to the point. After Godwin finished he sat with his brow knitted and eyes fixed on the symbol of three circles. At length the tension became too much for Eldwaith to bear.

"Well? What is going on?" He almost shouted and then glanced around uneasily as if the walls themselves might be listening. Anaxium's eyes flicked away from the icon and fixed on Godwin with a terrible intensity.

"In a word, blasphemy. In two words, heresy and treachery. I don't mean to alarm you," Eldwaith emitted a short, bitter laugh "but we are in the gravest of dangers. Worse yet, our entire world shares the same peril."

"What peril?" Godwin asked before Eldwaith could make another outburst. Anaxium's answer was only a single word but there was an immense weight behind it.

"Chaos."

"What, anarchy? Civil war? Disorder?" Eldwaith was unconvinced but Anaxium continued.

"Yes, all of those. But Chaos is more than that. Tell me, what do you know of the warp?" The question seemed to come at random and Eldwaith frowned at it.

"We know little enough, We've never even been off world let alone travelling through the warp."

"It's just a simple means of travel isn't it? A doorway?" Godwin added but Anaxium shook his head emphatically.

"No, it is far more than that and by no means simple. Listen now, I have spent a lifetime in acquiring knowledge. Some of it has been a joy, some of it a comfort, and some of it..." He glanced back at the symbol on his desk. "has been a burden." He looked back to his guests and regarded them for a moment as if assessing them. "Are you sure you want to know about this? It will be as heavy a weight around your neck as chains of iron and far less comfortable." Godwin and Eldwaith exchanged looks. Godwin was the first to turn back and speak.

"I have to know." Next to him Eldwaith indicated his agreement with no more than a nod. Anaxium sighed and sank back in his seat.

"The first thing you need to know is about the warp. Some call it the Immaterium and it is created by the psychic emanations of all sentient life. It exists outside of time and real space and it is from their that psykers draw their powers. However, since it is created by the thoughts, emotions, and imaginations of all creatures so too is it shaped by them and certain ideas and concepts are common to most races. These "ideas" grow in strength and power until they become aware and alive in a horrible, twisted way. For whatever reason negative emotion resonates within the warp more than positive and so these creatures are cruel and capricious beyond belief. Occasionally these beings force entry into the world, either through a weak point in the warp or through the mind of an unwary psyker. You know something of them already, we call them daemons, daemons of Chaos." He leaned forward and his voice sank to a whisper.

"And yet, as powerful and malevolent as these daemons are they are but a reflection of something far stronger, far older, and far more insidious. In the depths of the warp where thought and reality are one there are forces of such potency that heathens have even proclaimed them to be gods. There are many but four hold sway over the rest, locked in eternal struggle with each other. While they battle infinitely in the warp their battle spills over into our realm. They seek power from turning more and more of the real universe into a reflection of their own version of perfection. To do so raises their power and aids them in their great "game" against each other. They speak to men and women through dreams, they tempt them with promises of power, and they send forth agents to corrupt and defile." He pointed at the medallion on the desk.

"This is a symbol for one of those great powers of the warp. A god of disease and despair who brings death and damnation in his wake. His name has great power but he has many titles, Corpselord, Lord of Flies, Grandfather, Lord of Pestilence and...the Plaguefather." Godwin started at the last title, recalling the words of his nightmare's tormentor.

"What you saw, Godwin, was a ritual invoking this Lord of Disease. He offers to his followers the one thing all men crave alike, immortality. That was what happened to Brogan's child. He was butchered in a specific manner and then, through the power of the warp, he was returned to his body. The change you saw him undergo was the twisting and unwholesome influence of the warp. He is now a walking plague host, infused with all sicknesses and inured to pain and death. He is but the first of a legion I would suspect. Now it all makes sense to me, the plague is only the first blow. When the time is right Brogan will rise up as a prophet with a "cure" and damn our entire planet by opening a way for the daemons of the Plaguefather. No doubt the price for his treachery is the blighted immortality that he spoke of."

The cozy little study seemed to scream with silence as Anaxium finished speaking. The three men sat staring at each other, unconsciously drawing closer as if fearing being overheard. Eldwaith had stopped fidgeting and had turned corpse grey. Anaxium looked as grim as a figure carved in stone and sat with his hands folded in front of him, his knuckles white with tension. For his own part Godwin was almost unable to process the staggering implications. This wasn't a petty war between nobles as sometimes happened, this was betrayal so black that he had never heard the like of it. He felt as if he were about to be physically ill at the thought. Eldwaith beat him to it and lurched toward a waste basket with a hand over his mouth.

"Oh God-Emperor...I had that thing in my house!" He managed between heaves. "And you!" He leveled a finger at Godwin. "Brogan knows you caught him in the act, how long will it be before he comes for you?"

"Or my family...He's made sure to put them all in positions that are within his control." The thought almost drove him to join Eldwaith in retching but he fought it down and turned to Anaxium. "What should we do? Warp, what _can_ we do? He's a noble, one of the most powerful men on the planet and his coconspirators are just as well placed. If we accuse him we won't even be believed. That is, if he lets us live that long. I'm surprised he didn't burn my home to the ground with me in it the next day." Eldwaith raised his head from the basket for a moment.

"Why wouldn't he? Why _are_ we still alive? He could have killed us at anytime, why hasn't he?" He wiped his mouth off and reached gratefully for the water that Anaxium handed him. "Is he afraid of drawing attention to himself?"

"That is one possibility certainly." Anaxium answered. "I've known Brogan since he was a boy though, He was never afraid to get his hands dirty. If he hasn't struck you down then he must have some need of you. You say that he offered to get Tildda into the Schola before you surprised the gathering?"

"I mentioned it to him before the banquet and he took care of it."

"And he refused repayment?"

"He wouldn't hear of it, just said that I would owe him a favor" Anaxium frowned at that.

"Did he ask where you came from? What you did?"

"Yes, though he mostly figured it out for himself." The old man reached out a parchment skinned hand and placed it on Godwin's shoulder.

"And what is it that your manufactorum produces?" The answer left Godwin's lips before he could think.

"Weapons for the Jutian Guard." The words hung in the air like smoke. Weapons. The one thing that even a noble couldn't buy in large quantities without questions being asked. Another strand in Brogan's web. "Why me though? He could pick anyone with his power and wealth. Even the overmasters or the owners themselves. He could easily work some sort of a deal with them or half of the other manufactorums."

"He probably already has." Eldwaith chipped in and Anaxium agreed. "Certainly he must have. I would suspect that he was tying up loose ends. He doesn't want to leave anything to chance and this was a simple matter to put you in his debt. Your daughter's education, your family's future secured, and all you have to do in return is turn a blind eye. If you didn't he could always turn to your superiors and they would side with him. He would control the whole system and so be vulnerable nowhere to accusations."

"This leads us back to my original question though, what should we do?" Anaxium pushed himself to his feet and started pacing back and forth as he thought outloud.

"We cannot confront him, that much is plain. At the same time we have to act. This" he gestured towards the icon still resting on the desk "Is the only concrete proof that we have and, thank the Emperor, he doesn't know we have it. Here is what we will do. You two return to your home and visit me here again this evening. In the meantime I will see some individuals from my past who are experts in this sort of thing. They will know how to handle this situation if anyone does."

"Who are they?" Eldwaith asked.

"Experts in these daemons, They have spent millennia learning about these foul creatures. I can't say more than that though." He helped Godwin to his feet and gingerly picked up the symbol and put it into Godwin's hand. The three made their way to the door and stood in the entrance for a moment. Anaxium looked at Godwin with fatherly concern tinged with another emotion that he couldn't quite read. "Be careful my friend. Make sure your family are safe and tell no one else about this. Until we know the extent of this corruption anyone who knows of this could be in great danger. I can't promise that this will end well but I will do what I can. May the Emperor protect us all in the days to come." He shook Godwin's hand and pushed open the door for the two kinsmen.

The streets were relatively empty as the pair made their way back towards the undertram. A few beggars tried to accost them but Eldwaith pushed past with a few choice curses. Godwin felt increasingly light headed as they walked, only his cousin's resolute grip kept him upright. Finally the tram hoved into sight, just about to depart. As they approached Godwin looked around. The station was completely empty. He felt a prickle of suspicion that he couldn't place.

"Eldwaith, something's wrong, there should be people here. We should get out of here." His cousin snorted.

"Don't be ridiculous, it's just an off time. Come on." He pulled Godwin towards the nearest car. The doors opened automatically and Eldwaith almost dragged them both straight into the green mailed figure of Dreng.

Godwin felt his heart drop directly into his stomach at the sight of Brogan's guard. He was about to try to turn and try to make a run for it with Eldwaith but he saw several other green liveried men walk out onto the station. Clearly they were taking no risks. The only real options he saw were a fight, which in his weakened condition was unlikely to be very successful, or bluff and see what happened. He forced a smile on his face and hoped that it looked more genuine than it felt.

"Dreng, what a surprise to see you again. How fare you today?"

"Well enough sir, well enough." Dreng saluted him courteously with a gauntleted fist. "In fact I just came from your house. Must have just missed you. I came to see if you were well enough to travel and, if you were, to escort you to Lord Brogan." Eldwaith almost jumped at the name but Godwin tightened his grip on him bidding stillness and silence.

"To Lord Brogan? I would be happy to go but I only just regained the strength to walk, as you see my...friend...here has to assist me. I will visit Brogan tomorrow when my strength returns."

"No worries there sir, you'd not be doing any walking today. My Lord suspected that you'd be a little poorly still and has sent a litter to carry you in. You'd be able to rest on the journey."

"I am still not feeling well my friend, are you sure that this cannot wait a day?" Dreng shook his head with a smile.

"Afraid not sir, Lord Brogan was very insistent that the moment you could travel that you be brought to him." He leaned in close, as if confiding a great secret. "I think he has quite an important offer to make you and one that is time sensitive. Best to deal with it as soon as possible." He straightened back up and whistled. Several more guards appeared with an enclosed palanquin on their shoulders. They set it down and held the coverings open for Godwin. The choice was plain. Either fight and die or see what offer Brogan had in store for him.

_It doesn't seem like they want to kill me yet and if I don't go there is no telling what they will do to me or to Eldwaith. _He thought quickly. _I have to go, if only to ensure he survives and can help Anaxium bring justice down on these heretics. _Shifting his weight off of Eldwaith he stood up under his own power.

"If that is so then I shall be glad to accompany you." Dreng beamed and stepped past him to form up the small company. The moment he was outside of earshot Godwin carefully slipped the rust covered symbol into his hand and palmed it.

"You have to get out of here, they don't know we are related so that should keep you safe. Take this and hide it in my house, with Eahlwyn's projects, no one will think to look for it there. If I am not back by the end of the day go to Anaxium and give it to him. He will make sure I didn't die in vain. Take care of my family, don't let Brogan get to them." He whispered quickly through his almost unmoving lips. Eldwaith looked like he was about to say something, perhaps argue, but glancing around he simply nodded and offered Godwin his hand.

"I will see you at the Manufactorum tomorrow, my thanks for helping me get up and moving today." Godwin said in his normal voice as he shook Eldwaith's hand and transferred the symbol to him. He felt his cousin's hand shaking but he concealed the icon easily and with a quick goodbye he stepped into the tram. Godwin watched as the doors closed and the tram began its slow rumbling way down towards the lower levels. With an inward sigh and silent prayer Godwin turned and got into the palanquin. The guards drew the curtains and they set off a brisk pace.

As pleasant as it was to rest in the comfortable cushions of the palanquin Godwin couldn't get comfortable. Fear ate at him. Fear for his family, fear for his life, and fear of what Brogan might have in store for him. His only real comfort was that Eldwaith had the symbol and that Anaxium was no doubt reaching out to his contacts, whoever they might be, and would bring ruin down on the renegade noble's head. What occupied most of his mind was trying to puzzle out what the purpose of the summons was.

_He could have just killed me. Clearly Dreng was watching my house and noticed me leaving. They could have murdered me at the station and no one would have noticed. If they don't want to silence me what do they want?_ The answer to his question was not quick in coming though. Despite the quick pace of the guards it took the better part of two hours to reach Brogan's keep. Two tense hours where every moment Godwin felt certain that Dreng or some other guard was about to burst in and kill him on the spot. But the expected attack never came and so all he could do was sit and wait.

As they finally approached the keep the gates swung open immediately and the door guards offered humble bows to Godwin's company. Had he not been arriving under such tense circumstances he would have been embarrassed at the treatment. These men were all of a higher social station than he and normally he would have been the one expected to offer obeisances. The little procession made their way through the keep where various laborers and serfs ceased their activities in respect. Some bowed and a few even knelt while the palanquin was in sight. Through the thin curtains Godwin could see that the keep was undergoing some kind of renovation and, given what the conversation with Anaxium had revealed the additions were somewhat frightening. Everywhere he looked he could see subtle depictions of the Plaguefather's symbol displayed. To be so brazen was either incredibly rash and foolhardy or it showed that Brogan no longer felt he had anything to fear.

"Alright lads? Is that my guest?" Brogan's voice echoed from one of the squat towers and Godwin looked up to see him reclining in a solid looking wood chair on a balcony looking down on his holdings.

"Aye, lord!" Dreng called up to him.

"Bring him up to my study, send for food and wine as well."

"Your will." The guards lowered the litter to the ground and Dreng parted the curtains and offered Godwin a hand to steady himself as he alighted. A few minutes later he was standing in a comfortable room lined with bookcases and various trophies. The lighting was dim but not dark, comfortable for both reading and working and also soothing. There was a large desk which was crammed with papers against a wall and several small tables with various trinkets on them. A door on the far end of the room opened and Brogan entered from his balcony. He smiled broadly at Godwin as he entered.

"My friend, it is good to see you up and about again. Please, sit," he indicated a pair of armchairs that were positioned before a crackling fire. "Dreng should be back up with our refreshments in a moment. Ah!, there he is." As Godwin sat down Dreng and several servants entered and placed two tables next to the armchairs and covered them with an array of succulent looking meats, cheeses, and bread.

"Have a glass of wine, it's from my country estates." Brogan poured the wine himself and handed a glass of the dark red liquid to Godwin. Seating himself in the opposite chair he took a sip of the wine and leaned back with a rapturous expression. "Nothing like the taste of home. Speaking of home, how fares the Senlis house? I had heard that Tildda is doing amazingly well with her classes at the Schola. What of your wife and son?"

"They are...doing well sir."

"Good, good. I had hoped that their promotions would help. And you should be going back to work soon I would suspect?" The sheer banality of the conversation was starting to rattle Godwin. No threats, no demands, just pleasantries.

"I should be back within the week. My lord, if I might be forgiven for being blunt," Brogan waved an encouraging hand. "but what is the purpose of my visit?" His host took a long sip of his wine before carefully placing it on the end table and leaning forward in his chair to look directly at Godwin.

"The purpose? What do _you_ think the purpose is?"

"I really have no idea sir." Brogan chuckled and raised a reproving finger.

"Now now, we both know why you are here. Don't insult my intelligence or your honesty by attempting to dissemble. I will ask you again, why do you think you are here?" His manner was as polite as before but Godwin could see plainly in the man's lined face that any further attempts at deception, if detected, would not be tolerated.

"If I had to guess I would say you lured me here to kill me but clearly that's not it, you've already had so many opportunities to do so." That brought an appreciative look from his host and he intimated that Godwin should keep going. "Since you aren't going to kill me clearly you need something from me. Dreng mentioned an offer too. So what is it that you want from me?" The nobleman didn't answer immediately, instead he pointed to a strange weblike board that sat between the two chairs.

"Do you know what this is Godwin?"

"Aye lord, it's a regicide board."

"Have you ever played before?"

"Not in several months, it was never my best game. But sir..."

"Indulge me for a moment. What is the object of regicide?"

"To defeat your opponent by taking more of his pieces or killing his king."

"Exactly, by killing the king. What happens when the king falls?" Despite his fears this esoteric conversation was starting to irritate Godwin.

"Then you immediately lose. Without a leader an army or nation cannot continue to fight. Now will you plea..." Brogan held up his hand bidding patience and something in his manner made Godwin stop mid sentence.

"Yes, yes, I am coming to my point, in fact you've reached part of it already. A people cannot long survive without a leader. The man we name as our Emperor no longer leads us, he hasn't since before the Falcons came to Jute. He is nothing more than a withered corpse screaming silently into the void upon a throne of unimaginable pain. Do you know how this came to be?" It was a rhetorical question and he continued without pausing. "He was struck down by his own son, his most beloved son Horus Lupercal." That name Godwin remembered from Anaxium's books, the towering figure in either alabaster white armor or sea green with the strange pendant of a slitted eye.

"The Imperium as it exists now is dying, it's only a matter of time before it collapses from within. We will spend our lives, our time, our treasure, to hold back that tide for just a little longer but the future was written ten thousand years ago when Horus struck down his father. We are simply human machines, no man is special or unique, no one's dreams matter more than anothers, we are nothing but cogs in a machine as vast as the galaxy. Do you think we truly matter to the scribes of the Administerium? Do you think that the High Lords of Terra give a damn what happens to you? DO YOU?" Brogan's voice became suddenly harsh and bitter, his face flushed a ruddy red with emotion. There was only one answer to such a question though as much as Godwin hated to acknowledge it.

"No...I can't imagine they could care about one man in such a sea of humanity. But they fight for all our protection though, the guard, the navy, even the Adeptus Astartes. They keep us safe." The laugh that came from Brogan's throat was filled with spite and derision.

"Do you seriously think that? How many guardsmen return to Jute? One in ten? And the Falcons? They are slowly being worn down by attrition. What is there to show for that? Unlike you I have seen the wider Imperium, a thousand worlds are burning right now as we speak, set alight by the innumerable enemies you say we are protected from. And the Imperium's response? They let them. They doom billions to protect trillions but how long can that continue? One by one all of mankind will be crushed. Well I won't let myself be ground down and cast aside on the whim of some administrator a million light years away. If the Imperium won't help us then we must turn to something that will. You saw the power I speak of. It brought the dead, my own son, back to life. Can the Emperor do that? What can your God-Emperor offer you other than a lifetime of toil and a meaningless death?"

Brogan's words were cutting Godwin to his core. How could he answer? He was not naive, he had heard stories of worlds burned black by order of the unseen lords of the Imperium, other tales spoke of whole systems that fought against unwinnable odds waiting for help that never came. Worse, for all the miracles that the priests attributed to the Emperor he had never seen anything like what had happened to Brogan's son. Maybe the noble was right. Brogan was watching him closely, as if listening to Godwin's inner turmoil. He had calmed somewhat, and picked up his wine glass again and gazed into it as he swirled it.

"I am sorry, I let my temper get the best of me for a moment. An unfortunate lack of control I sometimes suffer from. Let us move from metaphysical topics to more tangible subjects. I need your help Godwin and I need your silence. The later would be easily accomplished should I wish it but the former...that requires a subtler touch. Here is my offer. I need you to help provide me with weapons from your manufactorum and to hold your tongue about what you saw the other night. In return I offer you this, your life, along with your family member's lives, and a privileged place in the new Jute that I will forge. All you have to do is keep silence and aid me in this small matter. What do you say?"

_This is an impossible choice. Either way I am doomed. If I give him his way then I betray the Imperium but if I don't then he will kill me and my family. I have to stall for time, if I can slow him up even for a little maybe Anaxium will come through, maybe his friends could save us and stop this lunatic. _He carefully cleared his throat and picked up his own glass.

"I...accept some of the truth in your words sir, maybe you are right in what you say. I must consider your offer though as this affects my entire family. If you could give me a week I will give you my answer at the end of it. Is that acceptable?" Brogan shook his head sadly.

"No, Godwin, it is not. I can give you one day before my offer expires. Choose freely but be aware that if you do not stand with me then you stand against me. I will expect your answer by dusk tomorrow." He rose to his feet, the interview clearly at an end. Godwin placed his untouched wine back onto the end table and rose as well. Brogan offered him a calloused hand. "I know you will make the right decision though. Rest well tonight my friend, tomorrow will be the first day of your new life."

Hope was not something that Velendus normally dealt in. As space marine, and as an apothecary into the bargain, he was all too accustomed to watching people die without it. Today, however, hope had come to him without his having to seek for it. A report of a man in Eastry who had been struck down by the plague. Unlike the countless others though he had not died swiftly, though he had lingered in a coma for days, and had made a miraculous recovery. The Governor had made sure to keep the reports classified and had turned the case file over to the Apothicarium for action. Velendus had wasted no time, it had been days since the man had awakened after all, and so he had gone before the Chapter Master himself and requested permission to investigate, a squad of five tactical marines, and the presence of a Chaplain as an escort.

Where the Apothecaries cared for the physical health of their brother marines the Chaplains of the chapter tended to their spiritual and moral health. Given the occult horrors that Space Marines were called upon to face occasionally individuals had been known to be lost to madness and corruption. It was the duty of the Chaplain to watch for any such signs and to root out heresy with an iron fist. Given his suspicions about the nature of the disease and this "miraculous" recovery Velendus had thought it prudent to take precautions. At worst it would be a temporary misallocation of resources if he was wrong and it turned out the disease was natural. If he were right, however, having his brothers at his back in support and led by a Chaplain might just keep him alive.

He was the first of the squad to assemble and as he stood waiting he went over the info he had been given. The subject was a minor manufactorum worker named Godwin Senlis. He had come down with the same symptoms as all the other men and women who were dying across Jute. He would have been yet another unnamed casualty but for two circumstances. The first was his miraculous recovery, the news of which had been suppressed by the order of the Governor until Velendus could investigate the case. The second had been the incredibly powerful friends who had come to the aid of such an unimportant man. No less a person than Brogan Aldred, a member of a truly ancient family that had been a power on Jute since the Great Crusade in the dim recesses of the past, had brought the case to the Governor's attention. Apparently he had taken a somewhat paternal interest in Godwin and had heard of his illness and had personally witnessed his recovery days ago. This was the only solid lead that Velendus had and he intended to follow it up.

The sound of heavy footfalls shook him from his reverie and he looked up to see six of his brother Falcons walking towards him. Five of them wore the normal black and blue of the Falcon's livery but the sixth's armor looked as if it had been carved out of obsidian. Unlike his fellows he was wearing his helmet despite still being within the Spire. One of the other marines created Velendus cordially.

"Well met, medicus. We are here to escort you. I have to say, it's nice to be the one protecting you rather than the one under your nathrecum."

"Modig, if you could find a way to avoid enemy fire maybe you could avoid the touch of my knives after every battle." The sergeant laughed at that, his face was a patchwork of scars. Some were old and had begun to disappear, others were still livid and had been earned in the recent wars against a particularly daring raid by the depraved Eldar. Velendus had tended to many with similar wounds from the poisoned splinter rifles but he remembered Modig in particular. The sergeant had led his squad directly into the Eldar to draw their fire. The gambit had worked, while the enemy focused on his squad an assault unit had managed to cut through the fire and force the main Eldar force into retreat. Half of Modigs squad of ten had died but the battle had been won. The apothecary had personally tended the sergeant after the action and only his extensive knowledge of fallen Eldar poisons had kept Modig alive.

"Well that's true enough." the sergeant chuckled. "I will try to dodge behind you this time." Before Velendus could continue the banter the helmeted Chaplain interjected.

"Master Apothecary, I am Garberend of the Reclusiarch. I understand that you fear

that the cause of this plague might be a moral threat?" Velendus chose his response carefully.

"I believe that it is possible and that even that small possibility deserves investigation. The disease could be natural but since none of our attempts have resulted in a better understanding of it we are forced, regrettably, to consider more...unsavory options." Chaplain Garberend nodded, satisfied for the moment and Velendus used the opportunity to address the assembled marines.

"Brothers. We are entrusted with a task of the utmost urgency and severity. We have a chance here to end a plague which has already killed countless thousands. Maintain order at all costs, we cannot allow panic to spread any further than it already has. Chaplain Garberend, I rely on you to maintain our spiritual strength, if there is indeed any corruption I look to you to root it out." The Chaplain inclined his head at the complement. "We have the fate of our homeworld in our hands, we shall rise to the occasion and, if this lead turns out to be accurate we shall deliver a cure to Jute!" For an impromptu speech it was well done and the marines, Chaplain Garberend included, raised a cheer at the conclusion.

Without any command the squad fell into marching lines protecting the Apothecary and the Chaplain, Sergeant Mordig next to Velendus, and, at a double click of the vox, the troop moved out into the city towards the one hope of a cure for the plague.

"Watch out will you?" Godwin didn't bother to respond as he pushed his way through the press of humanity that always developed around the trams at the end of the day. He had to get back, he had to find Anaxium and warn his family. Nothing else mattered. Brogan's kindly veiled threats still hung heavy in his mind. He shoved past a large dock worker who glared angrily at him. He felt a knot in the pit of his stomach as he saw the tram leaving, another would come along in a few minutes but would he be in time? Every moment was of vital importance, at the very least Brogan was waiting a day before he launched his coup but unless he got to Anaxium soon that advantage would soon be lost. He had no choice but to wait and pray.

_The Emperor protects. Blessed be the Master of Mankind. Oh God of Humanity, see me through this. Protect your people and deny the unbelievers. Forgive me my doubts but only keep my family safe..._ An announcement sounded, the next tram was delayed until further notice. Cursing under his breath Godwin started off at a run towards the lower districts, at least three hours distant by foot.

The knock on the door sounded like thunder and Ealhwyn started at the noise. She had come home to find her husband gone with no note as to where he had disappeared to. Tildda had come back from the schola two hours ago and was playing idly with some of Ealhwyn's mechanical hobbies. Sigread hadn't come back from the Manufactorium yet either so the interruption was completely unexpected. She rose and walked cautiously to the door.

"Who is it?" She called as she approached the door. The answer made her heart beat faster with fear.

"In the name of the Emperor, the Chapter Master, and the Governor Open the door immediately." The command was uttered in a low, guttural, growl, one that was beyond the resonance of a mere mortal man. Ealhwyn peered out at the strange visitors and caught sight only of the chest of the speaker. He was in armor and the emblem upon his black chest piece was a double eagle, the symbol of the Emperor himself. They were Sable Falcons, Adeptus Astartes, transhumans and they came with all the authority of Terra itself. She immediately, unthinkingly, opened the door to admit them. The marine in front towered over her by at least two heads and he regarded her from behind cold, unblinking, lenses. A massive bolter was held in equally large hands and pointed, as subtly as such a large weapon could be, towards her. An instinctive urge to cower and hide flashed through her head and was as quickly discarded. She stood completely still, waiting to see what the giant would do when another voice came from behind the marine.

"That will do Teothic. We aren't here to frighten anyone. Lower your weapon." Another marine, this one in white power armor pushed his way forward and bowed low enough to speak to Ealhwyn at her own level. He offered a gauntleted hand to her along with a reassuring smile.

"Apologies my Lady, we mean you and yours no harm. I am Velendus, Chief Apothecary of the Sable Falcons. We are here on the request of the Governor himself to investigate your husband Godwin's recent recovery from this plague that has ravaged Jute. I am sent to examine him and to see if my brother apothecaries and I can synthesize a cure from what I learn. Might we come in?" It took a moment for Ealhwyn to respond, seeing a whole troop of space marines on her doorstep was not an everyday occurrence, but when she did it was with her customary authority in her voice.

"Of course Lord Apothecary, you may enter as you like but please tell your men to refrain from tracking dirt into my house, Sigread just finished cleaning it. Also mind the ceiling... I don't think it is high enough to accommodate you easily." The massive apothecary nodded sagely.

"A common difficulty, we shall take every care." And he entered followed by three of his retinue while the three others remained outside, guarding the door. The four marines loomed large within the room. Two were in the namesake flat black of the Sable Falcons, Velendus was in his white with red trimming, and the last was in an ornate suit of glossy black power armor that reflected the incandescent lights. This last marine surveyed the room from behind a skull helm that set Ealhwyn's teeth on edge. The apothecary Velendus seemed to be in command and, upon entering, he immediately removed his helm along with all his fellows save the skull garbed marine.

"Lady Senlis, as I mentioned I am here to examine your husband, is he here? We are naturally most interested in his recovery and the hope it offers for the planet." Ealhwyn motioned for the marines to sit and took up her customary seat. The skull helmed marine remained standing, his arms crossed impassively as he continued to inspect the house. The two marines stood at ease near the door, mirroring their fellows outside. Only Velendus seemed tempted to accept her offer but, glancing over the various options he opted to rest on one knee instead.

"My husband has left unexpectedly, I don't know when he will return back. You are all welcome to wait here of course." Velendus looked slightly crestfallen but nodded.

"Of course. Thank you for cooperation. It is of utmost importance that I examine your husband, Godwin I believe, as soon as possible." He was interrupted by Tildda who had been gazing awestruck at the titan-like beings that had entered her family's home.

"Are you...Are you Space Marines?" The two marines at the door chuckled and Velendus smiled kindly.

"We are indeed little one, and what is your name?"

"Tildda. I heard you are here for my father, do you promise not to hurt him?" That drew another chuckle that only the marine with the macabre helmet did not join in.

"I promise Lady Tildda. We only want to examine him. He is strong and his strength could save this planet, perhaps the entire Imperium." Tildda considered that.

"Will he be a hero?"

"Oh, most certainly! One without equal on Jute." Ealhwyn smiled as her youngest beamed at the thought.

"Have you fought many battles?"

"I have, against many enemies of mankind. See him?" He pointed at one of the marines guarding the door. Tildda nodded.

"He is a true hero, fought against strange Eldar beings that tried to attack a world near to Jute. He led an attack directly at their leader that won the battle, isn't that right Modig?" The marine to the left of the door gestured at the scars to his face.

"See these lass? These are my medals for that action. We fought them off with a lightning strike. I fought their warleader myself, in the end I threw his foul body from his strange raider. He landed on his own soldier's weapons." Tildda clapped her hands at the story from the grizzled marines.

"Oh! You mean just like Horus did?" The room froze. The skull visaged marine turned to look at the child for the first time.

"Horus...Where did you hear that name?" His voice echoed throughout the room, amplified by his helm.

"From the book my father got for me. Would you like to see?"

"Immediately." Tildda ran off but as she did she bumped the cabinet and knocked a small piece of metal to the ground. As she rummaged in her room Velendus picked up the object she had knocked over. He turned it over in his mailed fingers. It was a rusted metal thing, in the shape of three circles. He held it up to look at it and the thing he held and was surprised a second later as the marine with the skull helm leaped over and knocked it out of his hand.

"Ware yourself apothecary! This is a signet of a dark and malignant power!" He drew his crozius as the girl walked back into the room carrying a massive book. Ealhwyn moved in front of her daughter as the towering figure bore down on her. He leveled his weapon at the pair. Tildda, startled at the sight dropped the book she had been carrying and hid behind her mother. The book fell open to the beautifully illuminated scene of the Emperor surrounded by his sons with the figure of Horus Lupercal prominently displayed. Velendus was up in a flash, putting himself between the mother and child and the suddenly incensed Chaplain.

"Garbarend, lower your weapon. We are here on to find a cure for the plague..." but the other marine interrupted him. "And we have found it along with the cause!" he held his crozius over the small piece of metal that Velendus had picked up from the floor. In the light from the energy field that rippled over the double eagles the small piece of metal was fully revealed, a rusted symbol of three circles arranged in a pyramid. Garbarend's voice was thick with contempt.

"You know this sigil as well as I do Apothecary, we've watched armies of twisted mutants, diseased freaks, and traitors march under it against the will of the Emperor. The child knows of the Archtraitor and speaks of him as if he were a hero. Look, there," He gestured towards the open book. "She carries with her a forbidden book with the turncoats painted in loving detail. The chain of events is obvious. Her father was struck down by the foul powers and so, in desperation, he and his family turned from rightly honoring the Emperor in panic. Abandoning their oaths they invoked a dark power's favor, clearly learned from more of these forbidden books, and so he was cured." Ealhwyn was about to speak, to argue but Tildda beat her to it.

"That's not true! My father isn't a traitor! Neither was Horus, the book said so." Garbarend stared at her through his unblinking eye slits but pointed to the symbol on the floor.

"And that? Where came you by it?"

"From cousin Eldwaith, he met me in the road and said to put it in mother's cupboard until father returned." Garbarend looked back to Velendus.

"You see? She doesn't deny that this is her father's, his cousin was returning it to him after using it to try to ward off the plague himself I warrant. You know the law, this house must be purged of heresy immediately." He made as if to push past Velendus towards Tildda and Ealhwyn but the apothecary held his ground.

"This is totally unproven Garbarend, think about this for a moment! Do these women act guilty? Do they seem to be in thrall to the Dark Gods? No, there must be a more reasonable explanation to this and we should do nothing hasty." The Chaplain stood completely still at being countermanded and though his eyes were hidden behind lenses Velendus could practically feel Garbarend regarding him intently.

"Is this your order Chief Apothecary? To ignore the will of the Emperor, expressed through his most loyal servants, the Inquisition and the Chaplains of his Adeptus Astartes?" Immediately the tension that had been building rapidly within the small home doubled. The door guards gripped their weapons apprehensively as their two commanders faced each other, neither giving ground to the other.

"I am saying" Velendus murmured between clenched teeth, "that we should not enact such a drastic punishment without making sure of the facts and discerning the truth first. I _suggest_ that we should question these two women along with this man Godwin and his cousin before we make any further moves. Surely finding out what these people know, and who else might be involved if there is indeed a moral threat here, is of paramount importance?" It took a long moment but at last the Chaplain nodded and, more reassuringly, de-energized his crozius.

"Of course Chief Apothecary. They will be taken to the Reclusiam where I shall question them personally until such time as they reveal the truth of these matters. Modig! Take them." He turned and strode away as the two other marines inside the room moved forward to follow his order. Ealhwyn pushed Tildda behind her and tried to shelter her with her body all the while screaming at the unyielding giants. Velendus couldn't stand aside and motioned for the two to halt, which they did, clearly finding this duty as distasteful as the Apothecary did. Velendus turned to the terrified child and bent as low as his power armor would allow to speak quietly to her and to her mother.

"I am sorry, I never intended for this to happen. I will do what I can to ensure your treatment is lenient and that this matter is cleared up quickly. Please come quietly. I know that Garbarend is only looking for an excuse to summarily execute you." Ealhwyn gave him an outraged look.

"But why?! We've done nothing wrong! Even if we have done something wrong we should be under the authority of the Arbites, or the Adeptus Mechanicus Biologies Departmentum, but certainly not your power armored thugs!"

"We are here on the request of the planetary governor, I will happily alert your superiors of the situation for you but right now you must come with us. I will do everything I can to ensure you are treated well. Please, come with us quietly my Lady." He extended a gauntleted hand and, after regarding it for a long moment, Ealhwyn took it and let hm help her up. The two marines gathered the book and the icon from the ground as Ealhwyn took Tildda's hand and began to walk towards the door.

"Where are we going mother?" The young girl asked, cleaving close to Ealhwyn.

"Shhh, Til. We are going to the tower. There has been a mistake and it will just take a small amount of time to figure out." Whether or not Eahlwyn actually believed what she said that seemed to comfort her daughter. In deference to Velendus the marines merely surrounded their charges instead of manhandling them into the road. Eldwaith was not so lucky, Chaplain Garabend got to him before Velendus and wasted no time in knocking him unconscious without even a single word of explanation. His wife Cathris wasn't home thankfully but Garbarend sent out a call to the local Arbites to apprehend her on sight and escort her to the Tower.

Watching the small group leave the building was a slight young man. At the sight of the two women he had made to cross the road and assist them but upon seeing Eldwaith's limp body being carried over the Chaplain's shoulder he hesitated and sunk deeper into the shadows. Fear fought with his natural desire to help and pragmatism decided the issue. He had no idea why these beings had come and forcefully carried off his family but he knew he was no match for them on his own. His father had been gone for hours and with no word when he would return. His options were limited. The best chance would be to make sure his father wasn't also captured and then go from there. Pulling his cloak over his head Sigread melted into the back alleyways like a wraith.

It took Godwin over three and a half hours to finally make his way to the Lorevault and he was shaking with pain and exertion. The lights were out but the door opened moments after his frantic pounding revealing Anaxium holding a candle. The old man looked much as Godwin felt, his eyes were red and haunted as if he had only just looked up from dark and terrible secrets. He was sweating, beads of moisture traced lazy paths down his bald head. He ushered Godwin in without a word and closed the door the moment his guest was over the threshold. In silence he led Godwin to his study and closed and triple locked the door behind them.

The room was still cluttered but a few strange items had appeared since Godwin's last visit. In a closet that had previously been hidden by a bookcase there was a long coat of black leather and a set of flexarmor also painted black but edged with gold. On the desk there were two weapons, a short sword and an ornate pistol of some sort. As Anaxium gestured him to sit Godwin caught the flash of silver and gold from his hand. A ring, nothing more than the band and a stylized letter "I" as the device. Anaxium slumped back wearily into his chair.

"You've come for answers Godwin and I have them but they are not good. Brogan has insinuated himself into every level of Jute's infrastructure and government in one way or another. The level of his control over events is frankly staggering. That is bad enough but there are rumors and whispers that surround him. From what I could discern he has planted the seeds of corruption all across our world. Cults, much like the one you saw, have taken root and their ranks number in the thousands, tens of thousands even. Added to that this plague has caused more and more unrest and the situation is ripe for a clever manipulator to use to his advantage." Brogan's words, still fresh in Godwin's mind, returned with full force.

"That's what he spoke of, a great rising. He means to turn this world over to those dark powers you spoke of, it's the only explanation. We must stop him, what of your friends? The ones you mentioned before, can they help?" The old man regarded him carefully before answering.

"They can...though I fear them worse than Brogan if truth be told." He held out his hand and exhibited the ring. "Have you ever seen this sign before?" Godwin shook his head and Anaxium nodded at the denial. " I thought not, precious few who do live to tell of it. This is the symbol of the Emperor's Holy Ordos of the Inquisition, the eye that sleepth not and the gatekeepers of the abyss. Once, long ago, I was one of them before I came here. We were meant to guard mankind from the terrors of the warp, what we actually did in practice was murder men and women by the billions. With nothing more than this ring, and what it represents, I consigned millions upon millions to death. I burned worlds, decimated armies, sanctioned even the vaunted Adeptus Astartes. I was more powerful because of this single symbol than an entire chapter of space marines. And I was one of the more humane Inquisitors. These are the people who I would be forced to ask for help. They might stop this rising but they would destroy Jute in the process I fear. We would all be mind wiped, sterilized, and sent out to the front lines of war to die in a penal regiment."

The answer was every bit as Anaxium had intimated, Godwin felt his throat tighten as if a noose were already being drawn around it. There had to be something that could be done. His thoughts were interrupted by a buzzing noise from the main store. Moving with a speed that was totally unexpected from such an aged man Anaxium swept up pistol and sword and leveled them at the locked door.

"That's one of my alarms, someone has broken in. Get behind me Godwin, we might make it out of here yet but you have to be ready to run as fast as you can the moment I tell you to. They could hear scrabbling just outside the door and raised voices. Then a loud bang as the door in front of them was blasted open by some sort of charge. Godwin instinctively dove for cover but Anaxium remained standing, expression grim and his stance taut with anticipation. Through the blasted in door several men wearing the uniform of the local Arbites entered quickly but at the sight of Anaxium and his readied weapons they froze.

"My shop is closed for the evening gentlemen, you will have to come back tomorrow. please let yourselves out." Godwin couldn't help but be impressed at the calm way that Anaxium addressed the intruders, he might as well have been shooing out a lingering customer rather than a group of armed men. One of the Arbites, the leader apparently, was clearly not as rattled as his fellows.

"We are here on the order of the Planetary Governor at the request of the Sable Falcons' Chapter Master to apprehend one Godwin Senlis and any known associates. He was spotted approaching here and we were ordered to take him into custody and turn him over to the Falcons for interrogation." Anaxium smiled grimly at the Arbites.

"I am sorry but he is under the protection of the Inquisition, _my_ protection." He exhibited the ring with the hand that held his short sword. "We are engaged on urgent business and I personally do not appreciate your intrusion at such a critical juncture. You may leave now." He gestured grandly towards the ruined door but the small law enforcement squad did not move. The lead Arbites motioned for Anaxium to drop his weapons.

"We have received no indication of an Inquisitorial here on Jute sir. If you are telling the truth the Falcons and the Governor will verify it certainly but right now you must surrender both your weapons and the suspect." The old man stood stock still for a moment before slowly lowering his weapons.

" I respect the orders of the Chapter Master and the Governor. We will go quietly." He carefully placed both the pistol and the sword onto the desk and stepped back. As he did the Arbites slowly moved in. Godwin followed Anaxium's instructions and didn't fight back as two of the officers hustled him up but he kept his attention fixed on the Lorekeeper. His aged friend had folded his hands in front of him and lowered his head as the men moved in to apprehend them. As they wrestled Godwin up he caught Anaxium's eye, the Lorekeeper regarded him steadily for a moment and then, just as the Arbites began to move him, flicked his eyes toward the ground. The sign was clear and Godwin acted immediately, he went limp, facking a faint, and then as he fell he kicked out and caught one of the guards right in the side of his kneecap while at the same time elbowing the other guard in his chest hard. The first man yelped and his leg bent strangely as he fell, Godwin's steel toed work boots had obviously broken his knee. As he fell Godwin twisted his body into a sweeping kick that knocked the other guard's legs out from under him, knocking him to the floor. As fast as he could move he was on top of the fallen man and slammed his head against the ground with such force that the man went limp immediately, though whether he was dead or merely unconscious Godwin didn't know. He needn't have bothered though as Anaxium chose that precise moment to act as well.

As the guard Godwin had kicked fell the aged man burst into sudden and deadly action. With a flick of his wrists he deployed two hidden throwing blades which he immediately flicked at the two guards still covering him. Without waiting to see if he had hit them he whipped up his discarded weapons and quickly, yet calmly, fired two perfect shots into the two Arbites. Not pausing for a second he whirled around and slashed his energized short sword through the Arbites to his left who was reaching for a weapon severing it neatly at the wrist. The man roared in pain but quick as lightning his cry was silenced as the blade swept up and slashed his throat open with a practiced ease. The lead Arbites was the only one left standing and the only one who even had a chance to put up a fight. He brought up his shock maul and struck at Anaxium. The old Inquisitor moved like a man a third his age, flitting out of the way of the blow which crashed through his desk. Before he could recover from his swing and launch another attack Anaxium was upon him. A flick of the power sword removed the man's thumb and the maul dropped to the floor. Before the Arbites could even grunt in pain he felt the still warm muzzle of Anaxium's pistol pressing under his chin.

"It is...unwise...to deny the requests of one of my order." The words were calm but redolent with unspoken threat. The Arbites shifted uncomfortably as he watched his captor's finger tighten subtly around the trigger. "In my younger days I would have subjected you to Arco-flagellation for this affront. I would have kept you as a hunting dog to track down other incompetent fools like you. If you do not do exactly as I ask I think I will do just that. Are you feeling cooperative, lad?" The man swallowed hard but nodded as much as the pistol would allow. Anaxium smiled coldly.

"Good, now this is exactly what you will do. He leaned in close and whispered in the man's ear so quietly that Godwin couldn't make out what was said. The two stood there for a moment while the old man gave the Arbites his instructions. At length the quiet conversation ended and Anaxium backed up slowly, still covering the young man with his gun. "Do you understand your orders?" The man nodded shakily. "Good, then you are free to go. Off with you." WIth obvious relief the Arbites turned to go but before he could take one step out of the room Anaxium tapped a button on the side of his pistol and pulled the trigger. A small dart launched from underneath the main barrel and bit into the flesh of the man's neck. He dropped instantly, crumpling to the floor next to his fallen underlings.

"Tranq-dart, he should sleep for a few hours and wake up with a nasty headache." Anxium nudged the prostrate Arbites with his foot, the man didn't even stir. The former Inquisitor looked up at Godwin appraisingly. "Those were good hits you landed on your guards, an excellent diversion too. Well done." Godwin didn't quite know how to respond, he'd only done what seemed right at the time after all. He shrugged "You needed a distraction, the guards were covering you very closely." The old man's eyes lingered on him for a moment longer before they flicked back to the bodies. "Yes, I'd have had a bit of a job by myself I think. We should move though, there is much left to do and very little time." He placed his pistol on the desk and offered Godwin a hand up. The younger man took it and pulled himself up onto the balls of his feet. The Inquisitor moved over to the hidden alcove and quickly donned the flexarmor, belt, and holsters for his weapons. He gestured at the long overcoat. "Pass me that will you? It's going to be a long time ahead of us and my bones are already tired and complaining." Godwin tossed him the coat which Anaxium snapped up and immediately put on. Casting a last glance at his shattered study and shook his head sadly. "Come on Godwin, no time to waste. We've got a world to save."


End file.
